Second Chance or No Chance A Criminal Minds Sequel
by MScott7565
Summary: It's a year later and Spencer and Lila's marriage is far from the honeymoon phase. Will they find their way back to each other? What caused the rift to begin with? Read on to find out if tv's #1 genius can win back the family he loves before it's too late
1. Chapter 1Spencer's Introspection

**Chapter One**

**"The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone."~ Harriet Beecher Stowe.**

**Spencer could hear the rain pounding outside and the thunder crashing. There was a flood warning issued to all neighboring counties and reporters urged views to stay inside. A rueful smile came to his lips as he considered the irony of his situation. He was in one of the safest places possible, yet he had never felt so unsafe or uncertain in his entire life. He paced the pristine white floors, wondering how it had come to this.**

**In fact, he wondered what had happened to his life in general. A year ago he was on top of the world. He had everything he had ever wanted, but never thought he deserved. Now, he had crashed and burned, since the universe was seeming to confirm that yes, indeed, he didn't deserve to be happy. And Spencer couldn't think of a better way for the universe to make its point than to take away the people he loved most.**

**He slumped against the wall, not knowing what to do. For once in his life his amazingly powerful brain was of no use to him. In fact, if had any sense or intelligence at all none of this would have happened. His insensitivity and thoughtlessness had hurt the person he loved most and he didn't know how to make things right. In fact, he didn't know if he **_**could **_**make things right.**

**He was so lost in his own little world that when he felt a hand on his shoulder he jumped back. He turned around and found himself looking into the eyes of his sister-in-law. Spencer had grown so accustomed to her joie de vivre that seeing the trepidation burned deep into her dark stare made the situation that much dire. Morgan was right at her heels, looking concerned as well. At least Spencer was fairly certain that his best friend didn't hate him. He could no longer say the same about Ashley.**

**"What's going on, Spencer? What have the doctors said?" she demanded, her expression turning from fear to hatred instantaneously.**

**Ashley crossed her arms in front of her body, the look of death permanently etched onto her face. A year ago Ashley had deemed him exempt from her 'Douchebag List.' Now, he was number one on her hit list. The difference twelve months made was both astounding and heartbreaking to Spencer.**

**"They haven't told me anything," Spencer replied, running his fingers through his hair, emotion cracking his voice. He looked so pathetically woebegotten that if Ashley wasn't so eager to unleash her whoop ass, she would have given him a hug.**

**"Have you even asked?" Ashley demanded. If Saul was a raisin with attitude, Ashley was a Kiwi on a rampage. "I mean, what the fuck are you even doing here? No one wants you around, **_**especially **_**Lila. It's obvious you don't care about her so why don't you do her and her **_**real **_**family a favor and go away?"**

**"Alright, Mama, that's enough now," Morgan said, pulling her towards him, trying to diffuse the situation. He knew his friend felt lower than he'd ever felt before and certainly didn't need Ashley's assistance in that department.**

**"But Spencer is a dick! He should be the one in there and not my sister and..."**

**"Ashley, I understand you're feeling scared and upset, but lashing out at Spencer isn't going to help matters. Why don't you go to the nurse's station and see what you can find out?"**

**Ashley cast her loathed brother-in-law one more glare before doing as she was told. The men walked her walk over before Morgan turned his attention back to Spencer.**

**"How are you holding up, Kid?" he asked.**

**Spencer turned back to Morgan, his dark puppy-dog eyes filled with tears. When Morgan calld him 'kid' Spencer wished he was one, because nothing that had happened to him in childhood compared to this. He would live his childhood again ten times over to shield his family from this pain.**

**"I can't lose her, man, I just can't," he choked out, his entire body constricted with agonizing pain.**

**A sob escaped from his lips and Morgan pulled him into his strong, sure embrace. Spencer unleashed his sorrow, sobbing onto Morgan's shoulder. Morgan said nothing, gently patting his back and letting Spencer scream and cry as much as he wanted. When Spencer finally pulled away, Morgan reached into his pocket and handed him some tissues. Spencer wiped his eyes, diverting his gaze to the floor.**

**"You're going to make fun of me for this, aren't you? You said if you ever saw me cry you'd never let me here the end of it."**

**"Those were different times, man. I would **_**never **_**laugh at you for being upset over this. You have every right to feel this way. Please, is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?"**

**"Can you turn back time?" Spencer asked helplessly. "can you let me go back to the beginning and prevent myself for pushing away the person I love most and causing her so much pain?"**

**Morgan looked at him sympathetically and pulled him back into his arms. As a fresh bout of emotions escaped from his body, he let his mind wander backward, to a time where everything was happier, simpler. A time where he had it all and hadn't taken it for granted.**


	2. Chapter 2 Spencer's Faux Pas

**Chapter Two**

**"You can hardly make a friend in a year, but you can easily offend one in an hour."~ Chinese Proverbs**

**Between their passionate liplocking and roaming hands, Spencer and Lila were amazed they were able to make their way to their seats. They were now on the flight that was going to take them home so they could begin their new life together. Thankfully a stewardess was kind enough to carry their bags for them, since there was no way they could handle luggage and heavy petting and stumbling to their seats.**

**The nauseating lovebirds finally reached their destination, their tongues still dancing as the stewardess loaded their carry ons, Spencer's satchel, and Lila's purse into the overhead compartment. She looked at them with raised eyebrows before discreetly turning on her heels and making her way back to the cockpit. Spencer and Lila carried on with their passionate frenzy until oxygen was absolutely paramount.**

**"Oh, God, Spence, you are ravenous," Lila moaned as his lips moved onto her neck. When he felt his tongue making circular motions against her sensitive flesh, she yelped, earning stares and glares from the other first class passengers.**

**"You're only just now discovering that?" Spencer asked, chuckling softly.**

**Lila sighed, the vibration of his chuckle against her skin making her even wetter. Although they had made love earlier this morning, she was aching for more. How they were able to make it to the airport without pulling over was a mystery to her. She reclaimed his lips and their tongues were obviously delighted by the reunion. Spencer's hands moved onto her chest, slowly making their way inside the top of her dress. Since the garment was a halter, no bra was required with the emsemble.**

**Spencer uttered a silent prayer of thanks as he rubbed his thumbs along her erect nipples. Lila moaned into his mouth and her hands made their way south. She could feel his erection large and erect, ready and aching for attention. What she wanted most was to shove as much of it into her mouth as possible and feel him shatter against the back of her throat. She tried doing that this morning, but he was too eager to bury himself in her womanhood.**

**Lila was unzipping his pants, her mouth watering for him, when the lovebirds heard a loud "a-HEM!" directed towards them. They followed the direction of the noise, their eyes moving, but their lips staying firmly in place. They were looking into the eyes of their clearly annoyed, but forced to remain friendly at all times flight attendent.**

**"We're preparing for take-off, so please securely your seatbelts," she replied before walking off to the next passenger.**

**"Okay," they said in unison.**

**Spencer and Lila broke apart so they could comply with her request. When they were securely locked into their seats, Lila leaned back in her chair, loving how soft it felt. For his part, Spencer leaned over towards her, tugging at her seatbelt.**

**"What are you doing?" Lila asked.**

**"I just want to make certain your seatbelt is secure. We have to remain seated until we're in the air and I don't want you falling over when the plane takes off."**

**Spencer's overprotectiveness was always sweet and wonderful in Lila's eyes, but this was over-the-top adorable. She smiled at him, melting as his strong, sure hands verified the safety of her seatbelt. He also examined her chair, making sure it was bolted in securely. Once he deemed everything satisfactory, he sat back in his own chair. It wasn't long until his fingers had linked themselves through hers and they smiled at each other.**

**"Our first flight together," Lila gushed.**

**"The first of many," Spencer added, bringing her hand up to his lips.**

**Lila giggled and blushed as his mouth covered every part of skin her hand had to offer. He was lingering on the inside of her wrist as the plane took off. It was a short time later and the plane was cruising comfortably among the clouds. The newlyweds were lost in their own little nauseatingly-diabetes-inducing-sweetly romantic world when a new flight attendant approached them. Clearly they had exhausted the patience of the first woman because she was clear on the opposite end of the plane.**

**"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" she asked. Unlike the first attendent, this girl actually found their behavior adorable. Her name was Jen and being a newlywed herself, she understood just how special this time could be. She was pushing a beverage cart containing an assortment of alcohol and salted treats from which to choose.**

**Lila was eyeing the salted goodies, but Spencer shook his head. "Would you happen to have fresh fruits and vegetables on hand? Oh, water, freshly squeezed juice, or milk would be great. But if you do give my wife milk, please make sure it is pasteurized because unpasteurized milk may contain bacteria called listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby, leading to infection or blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening."**

**Lila just stared at her husband with her mouth slightly agape as Jen covered hers to conceal her giggles. Spencer looked at each other the women and simply shrugged.**

**"My wife is pregnant and I only want the absolute best for her and our child," he replied. He thought for a moment before continuing.**

**"I know my wife is partial to peanuts, but I ask that you not let them anywhere near her or her food because the consumption of peanuts during pregnancy can increase the likelihood of cour child developing a nut allergy, which could be fatal. Cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts are fine, however."**

**"I will keep that in mind, sir," Jen replied before turning around to go in search of something that would meet Spencer's exacting standards.**

**"Is there anything else I should know about, oh great nutrition expert?" Lila asked, both amused and bemused by Spencer.**

**"Some other foods to avoid during pregnancy are raw meat, such as seafood and rare or undercooked beef or poultry because of the risk of contamination with coliforn bacteriam toxoplasmosis, and salmonella."**

**"No more raw chicken before bed? Oh darn," Lila teased, wondering who that rule would really apply to.**

**"Deli meat has to be avoided as well," Spencer continued, not missing a beat. "deli meats have been known to contaminate with listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Also avoid fish with mercury because mercury consumption during pregnancy has been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. Examples of such fish to avoid are shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Canned, chunk tuna generally has a lower amount of mercury than other tuna, but still should only be eaten in moderation.**

**I would actually prefer for you to not eat it at all. Smoked seafood labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky should be avoided because it could be contaminated with Listeria. Canned or shelf-safe smoked seafood is usually okay, but again, I would prefer for you to not eat it at all."**

**Lila simply raised her eyebrows as she listened to her husband issuing his food-related edicts. At her age it was rather interesting being told what she could and couldn't eat.**

**"You should also avoid fish from contaminated lakes and rivers that may be exposed to high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls. These fish include bluefish, striped bass, salmon, pike, trout, and walleye. This is regarding fish caught in local waters and not from the grocery store, so keep that in mind."**

**"Absolutely. My fishing gear is being auctioned off on E-bay as we speak," Lila said wryly.**

**Spencer either didn't catch her dry humor or decided not to acknowledge it. "****The majority of seafood-borne illness is caused by undercooked shellfish, which include oysters, clams, and mussels. Cooking helps prevent some types of infection, but it does not prevent the algae-related infections that are associated with red tides. Raw shellfish pose a concern for everybody, and they should be avoided altogether during pregnancy."**

**"I will keep that in mind," Lila said.**

**"Raw eggs or any foods that contain raw eggs should be avoided because of the potential exposure to salmonella. Some homemade Caesar dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custards, and Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs. **

**If the recipe is cooked at some point, this will reduce the exposure to salmonella. Commercially manufactured ice cream, dressings, and eggnog are made with pasteurized eggs and do not increase the risk of salmonella. Restaurants should be using pasteurized eggs in any recipe that is made with raw eggs, such as Hollandaise sauce or dressings."**

**"Awesome," Lila said, starting to wonder what it was she was **_**supposed **_**to eat for the next nine months.**

**At that moment Jen returned with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and beverages. She handed a glass of fruit juice to Spencer and a glass of very pasteurized milk to Lila. Spencer scanned the plate carefully and his eyes widened in alarm at once at some of the items he saw. Positioned precariously next to the safe items were pieces of soft cheese.**

**"Please get that plate away from my wife," Spencer said, the coldness in his tone taking Lila by surprise.**

**"What's wrong with it, sir?" Jen asked, looking at him bewilderdly.**

**"Under no circumstances is my wife allowed to have soft cheese of any kind," Spencer spat out.**

**"What's wrong with cheese? Pregnant women are supposed to have calcium in their diet," Lila said, jumping to the poor flight attendant's defense.**

**"Yes, but imported soft cheeses may contain Listeria, and they include Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta, Gorgonzola, and Mexican style cheeses such as queso blanco and queso fresco, unless they clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk. All soft non-imported cheeses made with pasteurized milk **_**are **_**safe to eat."**

**"Do you know if these cheeses were imported or not?" Spencer asked Jen.**

**"I'm afraid I don't sir," Jen replied. "but the milk is pasteurized."**

**Lila smiled at the poor girl but Spencer was not amused. "You really need to know these things, Jen, because this is literally a matter of life and death. Considering the amount of pregnant women that fly each year you really should be up to speed on what is and what isn't safe to eat."**

**Spencer then glared at the vegetables on Lila's plate. "Were these washed?" he demanded. Unwashed vegetables could potentially expose a pregnant woman to toxoplasmosis. He informed both Lila and Jen of this fact.**

**"Y...yes sir," Jen stuttered, trying to hold back tears. She was used to difficult passengers, but being accused of trying to kill a fetus was definately a first for her.**

**Just when Lila thought Spencer couldn't behave any worse, he noticed the pate and crackers.**

**"Get this plate away from my wife and child **_**now**_**," he hissed. "it's bad enough you're trying to serve my wife soft cheese, but pate too? Are you trying to give my wife a Listeria overdose?" Canned pate or shelf-safe meat spreads were fine for pregnant women, but this appeared to be fresh.**

**"Spencer, stop, that's enough. This poor girl is just trying to do her job and you're acting like an irrational ass!" Lila interjected, horrified and disgusted at her husband's insanity.**

**"Jen, I apologize for my husband's irrational antics. I have the mental capacity to understand you are not trying to murder my unborn child."**

**Jen managed to crack a small smile, but Spencer was less than happy. "At the rate she's going she might as well shove caffeine and alcohol down your throat while she's at it."**

**"I think I **_**need **_**alcohol to get through this flight if this is how you're going to behave," Lila snapped.**

**"I...I'll bring you a fresh plate, ma'am, and I'm really sorry."**

**"Thank you, Jen, I really appreciate it. Don't feel the need to hurry, either," Lila added, figuring the poor girl might need a few minutes away from her irrational husband.**

**"Thank you, ma'am," Jen replied before disappearing back behind the curtain.**

**As soon as Jen was out of earshot, Lila slapped Spencer unside the head. He jumped back, holding the attacked spot in surprise.**

**"What was that for?" he sputtered, wide-eyed in surprise.**

**"For acting like such a jerk! What the Hell is the matter with you? What part of the rational, critical thinking, analytical area of your brain told you that it was acceptable to publicly accuse a flight attendent of trying to kill our baby? For God's sake Spencer, that defies common sense and not only was your behavior inappropriate and cruel, it was stupid. For what possible reason would Jen want to kill this baby?**

**I don't know her and she doesn't know me. This pregnancy is going to be challenging enough without having to play peacemaker everytime you decide to randomly offend some poor, unsuspecting person trying to do their job."**

**Spencer could see how upset Lila was and he felt terrible for making her feel that way. He knew how dangerous stress was on a pregnant woman and the last thing he wanted to do was bring any unnecessary amount onto her.**

**"Lila..." he began, reaching over to take her hand.**

**"No, Spencer, don't talk to me! I don't think I can handle hearing your voice anymore."**

**Spencer opened his mouth to protest, but Lila held firm. She crossed her arms tightly in front of her and shifted her body so she was no longer facing him.**


	3. Chapter 3Spencer's Redemption

Chapter Three

"There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love."~ Bryant H. McGill

It was sometime later and another stewardess approached Spencer and Lila. Spencer looked over and noticed a group of them hidden behind the curtain, as if wanting to avoid them, well, him. He also didn't miss the fact that they sent the most intimidating looking one of the lot. This woman, if she really was in fact a woman, was nearly as tall as him, yet easily one hundred pounds heavier. She pushed the cart over towards them and she stared at him, almost daring him to say something. He decided to remain silent.

Her name tag said 'Gert' and she moved their tables in front of them. As she set the food before them, Spencer assessed the food. They each had a plate of broiled organic chicken breast with a side of sweet potatos, spinach, and pinto beans. For dessert they were given an organic fruit cup topped with nonfat organic yogurt. After setting the plates in front of them, Gert set down the silverware, as well as a glass of water.

"Is everything to your liking miss?" Gert asked Lila, who was looking out the window.

Lila looked over and inspected the food before looking up at her. "Yes, everything looks wonderful, thank you."

"And you, sir? Is there anything else you need?"

"No, thank you, Gert," Spencer said, nervously clearing his throat.

Gert nodded and walked off to assist the other passengers, leaving Spencer and Lila to tuck into their meal. Although the food looked delicious, the prospect of eating it all made Lila feel uneasy. She wanted to do what was best for her baby and knew that included eating right, but her long, unpleasant battle with food left her feeling intimidated at meal time. As she tentatively poked her chicken breast with her fork, Spencer made a face at his spinach. He moved it toward the edge of his plate with his knife and pushed it onto his napkin.

Spencer placed his other napkin on his lap and looked over at Lila, who almost looked afraid of what was in front of her. He reached over and placed his hand over hers. He didn't care if she was still angry with him. What mattered most was letting her know she had his unyielding support.

"You don't have to eat all of that you know," he murmured to her.

"Intellectually I know that, but it's just so difficult. Although I only purse during times of stress, the urge is always there. Even if I only have a handful of raisins, I can't help but want to bring them up again."

"Your relationship with food hasn't been the healthiest and it will take time to learn healthy habits. Bulimia is a difficult disorder to overcome and relapses are quite common. Although 55%-85% of people who receive treatment go into remission within ninety days, 14%-26% still meet te diagnostic guidelines for Bulimia months and even years later."

"Oh, well that's comforting," Lila said dryly. "so that means no matter what, I'm screwed. I'm stuck with this disease for the rest of my life."

"Yes, but you can learn the tools and coping styles needed to fight it. Just because you have an addiction doesn't mean you have to let it dominate your life."

Knowing Spencer's own personal demons made those words that much more powerful to her. Tears filled her eyes and she quickly wiped them away.

"I really do want to beat this, Spence. I don't like feeling this way."

"Dr. Jesson gave me the names of some top specialists in the D.C. area, so as soon as we're home we'll check them out. Lila, you're not alone anymore. I will help you every step of the way."

"I know you will," Lila replied, gently running her fingers through his hair.

"All I want is what's best for you, even if I don't express that correctly," he replied, moving his face closer to hers.

"I know you mean well, Spence, and that you're just looking out for me, but when you started telling me what I could and could not eat, it made me feel as if I had no control over my own body. I have been fighting for control over my own life for years, so when you started going off like that I felt even more helpless."

"I should have known better," Spencer replied. "I guess when I'm spouting off statistics every other part of my brain shuts down, including the part that knows when to keep my mouth closed."

"I think your stastistic spouting is adorable, but please, spout about something other than food."

"I think I can manage that," Spencer replied, giving her the cutest smile. To her, he kind of reminded her of a little kid, in a sexy, non-statutory kind of way.

The lovebirds shared a quick kiss, which immediately ilicited groans from the others around them. Spencer and Lila didn't care, however, and kissed again. After repulsing their fellow first class passengers, they decided to pull apart long enough to tuck into their forgotten meal. Spencer looked down at his with some suspicion.

"You don't think they....did something to my plate do you?" he asked.

"Well, I see that they somehow made your spinach disappear," Lila teased.

"Yes, that is rather peculiar," Spencer commented, trying in vein to look innocent.

"How am I going to make our son eat his veggies if his own father won't do it?" Lila asked, simply shaking her head as she fought back a smile.

"Vegetables are for growing boys and I'm full grown."

"Yes, you certainly are," Lila agreed, thinking of one area in particular that was full grown and all adult.

Spencer seemed to read her mind and simply grinned. He tucked into his meal and Lila did her best with hers. Spencer told her to simply listen to her body and it would tell her when she'd had enough. Lila looked at him skeptically since she had never truly felt satisfied by food in her entire life. Still, she managed to finish half of the contents on her plate without panicking or feeling the need to purge.

Spencer of course, ate everything on his plate, minus the m.i.a. spinach. Lila leaned back in her seat and just looked at him adoringly as she watched him finish his meal. It wasn't long until that familiar feeling stirred inside of her. She rose to her feet and reached out for his hand. Spencer stared at her quizzically, but accepted her hand and stood up as well.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"You'll see," she said coyly.

Spencer followed her, wondering what his mysterious, sexy wife had in store for him. It wasn't long until they were standing in front of the restroom door.

"What are we doing here?" Spencer asked, looking, and feeling, totally confused.

A naughty grin slowly spread across Lila's face as she opened the door. She led him inside the lavatory and shut the door behind them, securely locking it. Before Spencer could say anything, her lips passionately descended upon his. When they finally came up for air, she gently stroked his face with her finger while looking deep into his eyes.

"How would you like to join the Mile High Club?" she whispered sexily.


	4. Chapter 4Mile High Club

Chapter Four

"Gonna join the mile high club at thirty-seven thousand feet!"~ Nickelback "Rockstar"

"What's the Mile High Club?" Spencer asked, looking confused.

"You have never heard of the MHC?" Lila asked, surprised, although she knew she shouldn't be. His naivety was one of the things she loved most about him.

"No I haven't. Is it some sort of club dedicated to the appreciation of aviation?" he asked, confused as to why membership to such a club would have anything to do with a bathroom.

Lila couldn't hold back anymore and the laughter erupted from her lips. She was laughing so hard she had to lean against the door to keep from falling to the floor. She rested a hand on her forehead as her face turned beat red from amusement. When she was finally able to compose herself, she looked over at Spencer, who wasn't so amused. His face was red as well and he had the look of a man who knew he was a joke and didn't appreciate it.

Lila reached over and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling him towards her. Their lips crushed together in a passionate frenzy before she pulled away. She looked him the eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Spencer, love, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I was just taken aback slightly when you said you didn't know what the MHC was, but your naivety is one of the things I love most about you. I love how sweetly wholesome you are."

"Gee, thanks," Spencer said, still feeling the sting of his wife's laughter.

"Now, about this whole MHC business," Lila continued, moving her hands lowering, running them up and down his chest.

Lila kissed his neck, moving lower to suck on his Adam's apple. A groan escaped from his lips, putty in her hands when she descended onto his special spot. She moved her hands to his pants, removing his belt. She tossed the belt to the ground and promptly unzipped his pants. As the material fell into a heap around his ankles, his eyes lit up.

"Oh! Now I know what the Mile High Club is!" he said, his eyes shining as that "Eureka!" moment took hold of him.

"You know, for being a genius, you sure are slow on the uptake."

"Hey," Spencer warned, his voice a soft, low growl, not liking it when she made fun of him.

"I'm sorry, Baby, let me make it up to you."

Lila pulled down his boxers and his arousal sprung towards her at full salute. A smile crept upon her face and she looked very much like a cat who got the cream, and what delicious cream it was. She licked her lips with the tip of her tongue before tracing his arousal with it. Spencer sucked in his breath and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Oh God, Lila, I love when you do this..." he groaned, clenching his teeth as he tried to remain as quiet as possible.

"And I love doing it," Lila whispered, looking up so her gaze met his.

She cupped his balls in her hand, massaging them as her other hand wrapped around his thick member. She ran it up and down his slickness and moved her lips to the head. She kissed it softly, teasing the tiny opening with the tip of her tongue. Spencer bit his lip harder, the sensation almost more than he could handle. Lila sucked on his head for a few minutes before removing her mouth entirely.

"Hey! Why..." Spencer sputtered, desparately needing the wet, warm embrace of her mouth.

Lila answered his question by sucking his balls into his mouth, moving her tongue all around them as her hand moved up and down. Spencer leaned against the door, trying to keep from falling over. Lila could feel his arousal tense and she knew his release was emnenent. She stopped for a moment to let him calm down a bit before sucking him into her mouth. She worshipped him with his tongue while massaging the other parts of him.

Spencer rolled his head back, his eyes following suit as the pleasure overtook him. He just stood there, his mouth ajar as no speech of any kind was able to make its way up his throat. Lila could feel the pre-cursor to his climax oozing into her mouth and she lapped up every drop. She removed her mouth from him and rose to her feet. She moved backward towards the toilet and sat on the tank, pull him with her.

Spencer kicked his pants and boxers off all the way and they ended up in a crumbled heep against the wall. He hitched the skirt of her dress over her thighs and was thrilled to discover for not wearing panties. He rested his hands on her hips as he moved closer to her.

"I love you," he murmured, moving his lips close to hers.

"Is it because I'm not wearing panties?" Lila asked with a giggle. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and moved her body closer to his.

"That's definately a factor at the moment," he replied, teasing her by rubbing the top of his rigidity against her opening.

She hadn't given him a chance to perform his usual prep and he wanted to take sure she was ready for him. As always, she was dripping wet and warm for him, so he entered her with one fell swoop. She gasped loudly, moaning into his mouth as he thrusted deep inside of her. Lila wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him as close as possible. She tilted her hips slightly so he could pound against the most sensitive part of her walls and she let out a loud cry when he found it.

Spencer reclaimed her mouth, not wanting the noise to alert passengers or staff. Spencer set the pace at smooth, quick thrusts and Lila moved her hips insync with his. They were both at the brink and Spencer lowered one of his hands betweeb her legs, stimulating her clit to help her along. Lila massaged him as well and it wasn't long until they exploded in unison. They screamed their pleasure into each other's mouths and held their bodies as close together as possible.

When they finally came back to earth, their lips parted as they panted heavily. Spencer gently moved her hair out of her face and she looked him into the eyes.

"I love you, Spencer," she sputtered in between pants.

"Is it because I make you climax everytime we make love?" he asked, moving his lips so he could kiss her neck.

"That's definately a factor at the moment," she replied.

They both dissolved into giggles before finally collecting themselves and making themselves presentable to go back into the real world. After Spencer put on his belt and Lila smoothed out her hair, they left the restroom hand-in-hand, rejoining their first class peers triumpant in their successful initiation into the Mile High Club.


	5. Chapter 5Tragic News

Chapter Five--Tragic News

"Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves-regret for the past and fear of the future."~Fulton Oursler

Spencer wiped the tears from his eyes as the memory of that moment came flooding towards him. He remembered every moment of his life with Lila and each one was so full of magic and promise. When he felt her touch or heard her voice he felt on top of the world. From the moment they were brought back together, he felt that his life's purpose was to be Lila's husband and spend the rest of his life loving her. Now, he didn't know what purpose his life served.

Without Lila and their family, his life ceased to have meaning. He wished with all his heart they could go back to that moment, when everything was so much simpler. It wasn't the sex he missed; as far as he was concerned, he would trade a life of celebacy in return for one more chance to make things right with Lila. He looked over at the doors leading into the OR, wishing he could be with her. He wished there was some way to trade places with her, to take away her pain.

Spencer observed as Ashley spoke with a small group of hospital staff, as well as a priest. Seeing the man of faith made the seriousness of the situation even more painfully obvious and the seering, crushing agony that rippled through his body brought him to his knees. He covered his mouth with his hands, trying to hold back the sob. He knew falling apart wasn't helping the situation, but he couldn't help it. Even as he was in the grips of crippling pain, he was still awe-inspired that it was Ashley who was the strong, level headed one in this situation.

As a matter of fact, the overall change in Ashley was astounding. A year ago, Spencer simply thought of her as Lila's spritely, eccentric, inappropriate yet loving baby sister. Now she was Lila's storehouse of strength, the backbone that was keeping her and her family together. Although Ashley's reviled him, Spencer thought the world of her. In her own special, uniquely Ashley way, she had helped Lila cope with the pain he had caused her.

He knew without Ashley Lila would have given up long ago and he was so grateful to his sister-in-law for helping her hold on. He just hoped that her strength was enough to save Lila and his family one last time. He watched as Morgan stood close by, keeping a respectful distance, yet resting his hand on the small of her back to let her know he was there for her. Afterall, even the strongest of storehouses needs a sturdy base. Spencer wanted the chance for him and Lila to be that way again.

It was at that moment he heard the sound of hurried footsteps stampeeding towards him. He looked up to see Veronica, Stella, Emma, and Debra. Ashley excused herself from the medical staff, letting Morgan take over the conversation as she approached them. The group of women huddled together, each one sharing the same look of fear, panic, and in the case of the newcomers, the total unknown. Veronica was the first to speak.

Although Veronica was usually so beautifully pulled together, today she looked as though she had been hit by a bus. Indeed, that would have been less painful than the situation they were currently facing. She ran her hand through her disheveled blonde hair, looking to Ashley for answers.

"How is she, Ashley? What have the doctors told you?"

Ashley moved so the group shifted further away from Spencer, so it would be more difficult for him to overhear anything. As far as Ashley was concerned, the adorable doctor was dead to her. In fact, she was willing to make that a reality, as soon as an opportunity presented itself. As she informed Lila's "real family" of Lila's condition, Morgan approached Spencer. He sat beside his friend and gave him a comforting smile.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Spencer whispered, tears brimming in his eyes and his face red from previous sobbing spells.

"Their situation is precarious at best, Spencer," Morgan admitted, knowing he couldn't lie to his friend. "basically everything that could go wrong with placenta priva did. Her doctors couldn't get her uterus to stop contracting, which led to severe hemorrhaging. She's having her first blood transfusion and they think she may need a second one. Even if the transfusions are a success, there is still a chance of secondary hemorrhaging, which occurs within twenty-four hours.

She also had placenta accreta, which is where the placenta attaches directly to the uterine muscle." This condition was dangerous it made dislodging the placenta more difficult. This condition could cause severe blood loss, and in severe cases, require a hysterectomy or even cause death.

"H...how much blood did she lose?" Spencer asked, feeling he was going to be sick.

Morgan hesitated before he was finally able to muster out the answer he wished wasn't true. "...just over forty percent."

Spencer's face blanched and his stomach contorted. Morgan helped him to his feet and hurried him into the restroom. They made it just in the knick of time and Spencer emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet. The loss of over forty percent of a person's blood supply was life threatening and could possibly lead to death if not replaced in time. Spencer grasped the toilet seat for dear life, his hands now as pale as his face as they engaged in their death grip.

When the last bit of vile made its exit, Morgan pulled Spencer into his arms and just held his friend as his crumbled into a fit of sobs. Morgan held him close and just patted his back, letting his friend unleash his dispair.

"T...this is all...all my fault..." Spencer wailed.

"No, Spencer, this is not your fault," Morgan said firmly. "you had nothing to do with this. I know it's tough man, but these things happen sometimes. I know how hard it is, but you just have to believe Lila will pull through."

"A...and if she doesn't? I...love her! I...I can't live without her. I...I need..."

"Yeah, I know man," Morgan replied, knowing to some degree what his friend was feeling having experienced some of this himself not too long ago.

"My wife and....my family could die tonight and..." Spencer took a deep breath, trying to regain some of his composure. "....they haven't heard me say just how much I love them. I need to be there for them. Lila....Lila needs me. I...I know she must hate me, but..."

"Lila does _not _hate you, Spencer. In spite of everything you two have been through lately, she adores you. You know as well as I do people use anger as a shield for deeper, more vulnerable emotions. Lila _will _pull through this and you _will _have a chance to tell her how much you love her, even though she already knows that."

"I....I need to see her....them...."

"I know you do man, and you will, but first, let the doctors and the rest of the medical team work their magic so your family is camera ready. And let me take care of you and calm you down so you don't scare that beautiful family of yours with your bloodshot eyes and pasty white skin."

If Spencer was in the mood, he would have laughed at his friend's attempt at humor, but his soul just didn't have that to give. He felt hollow and empty inside, as if someone had reached inside and ripped his heart out. Still, he appreciated his friend's support, especially given the fact that most of the people at the hospital tonight weren't going to be on his side.

Not that he blamed them, considering what an inconsiderate ass he had been. He allowed his body to collapse into his friend's embrace as his mind drifted, floating back to when pain didn't exist, to a time when all he and Lila knew was happiness and love and eagerly anicipated all of life's great possibilities.


	6. Chapter 6Home Sweet Home

Chapter Six

"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do....but how much love we put in that action."~ Mother Teresa

Somehow against all the odds, Spencer and Lila somehow managed to make it home without getting arrested for indecent exposure. They were now sitting in the backseat of their cab as they were led to their home and the true beginning of married life. Spencer had his arm around her and was kissing her neck. Lila nuzzled against him while taking in the sights around her. Although she had been to D.C. many times before, today it seemed new, like a Christmas present she was eager to unwrap.

"We're almost there, love," Spencer replied, pulling her close for a kiss.

"This is so exciting. I'm so looking forward to coming home," Lila replied, allowing his mouth to envelope his.

"So am I," Spencer replied when they lips eventually parted. "you know," he continued, playing with her hair, "this will be the first time I've ever....brought someone home."

Spencer blushed at that last sentence and Lila that absolutely adorable. She snuggled close to him and kissed him.

"The first time you bring a lady home and it's your wife? Nice," she said giggling.

Spencer blushed even more and Lila kissed him again. They were lost in their own little happy world when the cab suddenly came to a stop. Spencer looked out the window and opened the door, climbing out. He offered Lila his hand and helped her out as well. As he paid the cab driver and collected their bags, Lila examined the apartment building.

It was a cheerful, tall structure made of white bricks and perfectly maintained. Although the building was newer than some in the D.C. area, it still had an old-world charm to it. The lawn was perfectly mowed and the plants in inpeccible order. She followed Spencer to the door and watched as he dug his key out of his pocket. He unlocked the door and led Lila into the building.

The walls were a pleasant french vanilla color and the winding staircase was carpeted with dark brown carpeting. After Spencer opened his mailbox and collected his mail, he led Lila up the stairs. Lila was impressed with how clean the building was, since she had been in her fair share of questionable apartment buildings. Although she loved Ashley's place, the halls always reeked of the curious combination of incense, curry, and some other things she decided she didn't want to know about.

Spencer led her to the second floor, mail and bags in hand. Lila tried to offer her assistance, but he demurred, wanting to do his husbandly duties. She found his chivalry adorable and couldn't want to show him just how chivalrous she really found him. They finally reached Spencer's place, which was at the end of the hall, next to a small window with a modest artificial potted plant on the sill. Spencer unlocked the door and set the bags inside, resting his pile of mail on top of his carry on.

He opened the door wider and turned on the light before scooping his lithe bride into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeeled with delight as he kissed her, carrying her into the apartment. He spun her around playfully, the skirt of her dress circling them. After a final kiss he set her down and shut and locked the door, letting her look around. He was aware that his place would be a bit of a culture shock for his Hollywood starlet.

Even before her A-list days, she had grown up in the opulent, plush setting of Greenwhich, so she was born with an understanding for the finer things in life. Indeed, his entire six hundred and twenty foot living space could fit easily fit into her father's foyer with room to spare. He carefully studied her reaction, hoping she would find his home satisfactory and that she would feel comfortable.

Spencer held his breath as Lila assessed the place. The main living place, which consisted of the living room flowing into the dining room, was painted a pale cocoa color and beige carpeting filtered throughout the entire living space, minus the laundry room and kitchen. The place was modestly furnished with old but dependable furniture and a simple entertainment center in the living room portion.

Lila smiled when she noticed the video game equipment with the impressive collection of various games. The living room also served as his office and a desktop was set up nearby. The place was in pristine order, which came as no surprise to Lila. There was a place for everything and everything in its place. What few photographs and knick knacks there where where arranged just so. The main attraction, however, was the huge bookshelf stuffed to the brim with books.

"So, what do you think?" Spencer asked, hoping her for seal of approval.

"Well, I think...." Lila began, as if giving her assessment a great deal of thought.

Spencer thought her silence meant disapproval, so he was pleasantly surprised when Lila beamed at him and wrapped her arms around him.

"I love your place, Spence. It's so....you."

"_Our _place," Spencer corrected, rewarding his wife with a kiss.

"Will you show me around?" Lila asked. "give me the grand Spencer tour."

"I'm not sure how grand this place is, but I'm happy to give you a tour," Spencer replied.

"At least it doesn't smell of incence and marijuana like my sister's apartment building."

"You neglected to mention the curry and chicken fat as well," Spencer added.

"I'm so grateful we don't live there," Lila replied.

"So am I," Spencer agreed, leading his wife around by the hand.

As they walked past the living area, Lila also noticed a small balcony leading from the sliding glass door. There were two chairs placed out there and Lila noticed a door leading to a storage space. Beside that door was the kitchen, which was also kept tidy for the most obvious reason being Spencer rarely used it. Lila was useless in the kitchen as well, but she knew she would have to remedy that. The kitchen's wall color was the same as the living area with white trim on the windows, blinds, and blue tiled floors.

Although the space wasn't the largest, it did boast a decent amount of cabinet space. The cabinets were made of oak wood and the appliances stainless steel. Spencer led her down the hall and opened a door, which revealed the laundry room. Again, this was a room in which Lila was totally useless, but again, she knew she would have to fix that. She knew that in order to be a proper wife and mother she would have to get her hands dirty.

The walls were the same french vanilla as the apartment halls and white tile was on the floor. The washer and dryer were a simple white matching set and a shelf overhead displayed laundry soap, softener, and dryer sheets. Storage shelves were also nearby and two laundry hampers rested comfortably against the walls. Spencer them moved onto the restoom, which was coco colored of course with dark blue tiled floors. The shower had a white tub and white tiled walls, with dark blue trim to match the flooring.

There was a nondescript white shower curtain and the toilet was white as well. A gold metal shelving rack was positioned over the toilet, holding towels, magazines, and an old fashioned shaving kit. The sink was white with dark blue trim. Another row of shelves were positioned on the wall opposite the sink mirror and a hook was on the door, holding Spencer's threadbare, much much loved plaid bathrobe. The last room of the house ready for inspection was the bedroom.

The walls reminded Lila of butterscotch and the carpet was beige of course. A medium sized window was positioned in the middle wall and blinds covered it. A dresser, nightstand, and full bed in a light brown wood completed the room, along with a decent sized closet. Lila smiled when she looked at the comforter set. The quilt and pillow cases had a patchwork plaid design of red, sandy yellow, white, pale blue, beige, and lavy. It was so casual, inviting, and warm, just like her husband. Lila walked over to bed and sat down. As she ran her hand along the soft blanket, Spencer sat beside her.

"Welcome home, my love," he murmured, resting his face on her cheek, kissing her.

"It's wonderful to be here," Lila murmured against his lips. "I'm so happy we have an entire month to ourselves."

"And I don't plan on wasting a second of it," Spencer replied, kissing her again.

As their lips united in a slow, tender embrace, Spencer lowered her onto the mattress. It was a unique, indescribable feeling to actually have a woman in his own bedroom. A woman that wasn't a coworker, relative, friend, or apartment employee. Not only that, she was his wife and she adored him as much as he did her. As he removed his shirt, Lila heard a rustling sound under the pillow.

She looked over and reached under it, wondering what she was going to find. She didn't peg him as the Playboy type, but men still had a way of surprising her. What she found was a surprise, but in a good way. The source of the noise was an old magazine and it had them on the cover of it. She remembered the picture well.

It was when she and Spencer were saying goodbye to each other after her stalking ordeal. One of the most painful aspects of that time was thinking she would never see Spencer again. She thumbed through the magazine, delighted she was wrong. As she looked through it, she could tell it had been much loved over the years. She looked up at her husband, who smiled sheepishly at her.

"I like to look at it every night before I go to sleep," he admitted, his face beat red. "as I looked at your beautiful face I used to dream we would be together again."

"And now our dream has come true," Lila replied, setting down the magazine so she could take his face into her hands. She'd had the same dream as well throughout the years and was glad the Heavens had smiled upon them.

"I have something else to show you as well," Spencer said, figuring if his wife was going to discover his geeky side, this was the best way to do it.

"I know you do," she said with a grin, gently running a finger along the front of his pants, where Reid was straining to be free.

"It isn't that....yet," Spencer said giggling.

Lila was intrigued and watched as he pulled down the comforter. Lila moved down so she could get a better look at what was underneath. What she discovered really wasn't that much of a surprise, even if it was hillariously adorable. Hidden beneath the door adult comforter was another one, only this one had a Star Trek pattern. Each character was displayed and it was a perfect match the sheets, which were underneath.

"Oh dear God I've married a nerd," Lila said, pretending be aghast at the idea, but in reality it turned her on tremendously.

"Trekkie," Spencer corrected.

Lila giggled and Spencer went on. "Derek is the only other person from the team who had been to my home, other than Gideon. When he saw these, he said I needed a more adult, more masculine bedset in order to 'attract the honies', so he took me shopping for one. A quilt pattern wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but he said it was a step above Star Trek."

"What would you say if I told I prefer the Star Trek comforter?"

"That I seriously love you and I'm so glad I married you," Spencer replied, giddy that he had the good fortune of having a wife who was intelligent, beautiful, _and _accepted his nerdy tendencies. And the fact she wasn't wearing any undergarments was certainly a bonus.

"Well, then I guess we don't need this anymore," Lila replied, helping him remove the quilted comforter and throw it to the floor. "besides, if memory serves me, all of the comforters we've made love on were floral, so clearly Derek's theory about masculine bedding was inaccurate."

Spencer kissed his wife deeply before laying her back on the bed. He pushed the skirt of her dress up her thighs and ran his hands up and down her bare legs.

"Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. It's mission....to boldly go where no man has gone before."

Spencer frowned for a moment, then continued. "I suppose technically that isn't true, but...."

"Spencer Asimov Reid, are you calling your wife a whore?" Lila asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What? No, no, _no_! That is, I didn't mean...."

"Spencer, relax, I was just teasing you!" Lila giggled, pushing her husband onto his back. She kissed him passionately, ripping off his pants as she spoke.

"Besides," she continued. "in a way what you said was accurate because as far as I'm concerned, no one else matters but you."

Spencer flipped her over so she was on her back once again. He pulled off her dress and removed his shirt. As he positioned himself on top of her, Lila ran her fingers through his hair.

"Mmm....beam me up Scotty," she cooed, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"I am a traitor from a race of traitors," Spencer whispered, punctuating each word with a kiss. "disloyal to the core. Rotten! Like the rest of you subhuman race. And I've got the gall...to make love to this girl!" That line of course was uttered by Captain Kirk, although he did alter it ever so slightly.

Only Spencer could make quoting Star Trek in bed sexy and Lila was overcome with arousal. They began kissing passionately, rolling around the bed as Spencer allowed Reid to enter her starship. Their bodies melted into each other and they each fought for the top spot. It was erotic beyond belief for them to have the other moving on top of them. It was also stimulating to take that top position as well.

When the end was approaching, Spencer laid back on the mattress, wanting to watch his angel writhe on top of him. Her hips moved swiftly in perfect unison with his. She grabbed his hips and pulled him closer, crying out as his member hit her most sensitive wall. Spencer ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her down for a kiss. Her chest was pressed tightly against his and she could feel her pleasure mounting.

Their kiss broke when they both cried out as orgasm rippled through them. Lila was the first one to go over the edge, as one wave of pleasure came right after the other. Spencer flipped her other, holding her close as he emptied his own desire inside of her. His head arched back as he cried out loudly, not caring who heard him. Lila moved her head upward, sucking and kissing his Adam's apple.

When every ounce of stimulus had exited their bodies, they collapsed in a warm, satiated heap. Spencer removed his satisfied Reid from her warmth. He cuddled her close and their lips lingered as their legs lazily threaded together.

"I love you Captain Kirk," Lila whispered.

"And I love you, my wonderfully amazing, beautiful Trekkie-in-training."

Lila giggled and they held each other close, passing the day lingering on Spencer's newly christened Star Trek sheets.


	7. Chapter 7Settling into Married Life

**Chapter Seven**

**"There is no such cozy combination as man and wife."~Menander**

**It was around eight o'clock that evening and Spencer was sound asleep, his arms wrapped tightly around his wife's warm body. His legs were wrapped around hers and his head was resting in the crook of her neck. Lila could feel his warm, sweet breath against her soft skin and it was so soothing. They had spent the day in the bed, altering between cuddling and talking to rolling around in the midst of hot, sweaty, monkey love. At the moment Spencer and Reid were satiated and floating comfortably in dream world.**

**For her part, Lila was basking in total joy, feeling totally at ease with herself and the world. For the first time in her life, she was home. She knew what it felt like to be home and feel completely accepted and welcome. She smiled at her sleeping husband, who was softly snoring in her ear. The sound was adorable and the vibrations were sending a tingling sensation down her spine.**

**Lila decided to let Spencer sleep however, knowing he had to be exhausted. She kissed him softly on the lips and eased her way out of his arms until she was out of bed. She bent down and picked his shirt up off the floor. She threw on it and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She didn't know what she was going to do to occupy her time, but she knew she needed to stretch her legs.**

**She crept out of the room and walked down the hall, taking in the surroundings of her new home. She opened the closet next to the bedroom, finding it neatly stocked with miscelaneous odds and ends. She gently shut the door and continued walking, letting her hand trail along the wall. She opened the door leading to the laundry room and stepped inside. Lila opened the lids of the laundry hampers, finding them empty.**

**She smiled, not at all surprised that her husband would insist on leaving his home spic and span before going on vacation. She knew it was strange and terribly dated, but she was actually looking forward to doing his laundry. Granted, Lila didn't know the first thing about washing clothes, but knowing she had at least fifty years to get the hang of it was a relief. She left the laundry room, shutting off the light in the process. She continued walking until she wound up in the most challenging room of all.**

**The kitchen was a source of contention for Lila for obvious reasons. She didn't know if she would ever be a food enthusiast, but for the sake of her future and her family she was willing to try to concur her demons. Although she wasn't really hungry, she hadn't eaten since lunch on the plane and she knew her baby needed nurishment. Lila knew if she was ever able to concur her food neurosis it would be thanks to her child. She knew Spencer thought she was thinking prematurely, but she was one hundred percent convinced she was carrying a boy.**

**Lila opened the refrigerator and couldn't help but laugh. Despite his apartment looking as though it were occupied by ocd nuns, his fridge was all bachelor. Although the side shelves held copious amounts of condiments, the main area of storage held baking soda, tupperware containers, take out boxes, gatorade, and milk. Lila shook her head and decided she had stumbled upon her time killer. She dragged the garbage closer and knelt down.**

**She went through the condiments, tossing what was expired, keeping what was usable, and wondering why her husband needed six bottles of mustard, three bottles of ketchup, two bottles of mayonaise, and two bottles of relish. Before placing the usable items back on the shelf, she opened the shelves below the sink and pulled out paper towel and cleaning spray. She scrubbed the shelves until they were sparkling and stocked them with labels facing forward and alphabetizing labels.**

**She then turned her attention to the main area, going through the same process as with the shelves. She immediately tossed out the take out boxes since there was no way delivery food was still safe for human consumption after two weeks. And after examining the inside of the tupperware, she tossed that as well, deciding it was more condusive to simply buy more tupperware than trying to pry out the rather frightening contents.**

**After a while, the refrigerator was sparkling and to her amazement, she was actually feeling hungry. Since relish covered baking soda didn't appeal to her tastebuds, she opened the cupboards, considering her options. The cupboards resembled the before status of the refrigerator, so she decided to clean before she ate. She walked into the dining room and grabbed the back of a chair, carrying it back to the kitchen. She climbed on top and got to work.**

**She scrubbed the first set of shelves clean, although they weren't as alarming as the refrigerator. As she took stock of the cupboards contents, she was beginning to understand why her sexy husband was so skinny. There were three shelves in this cupboard and one held an assortment of cereal, the other different varieties of coffee, and the other held sugar. She then moved on to the other shelves, cleaning and organizing. Just as she did with the fridge, Lila organized the items alphabetically with the labels facing foward.**

**She also organized all the food, both shelved and refrigerated, in order of experation, so nothing would go to waste. Lila was working on the final shelf, positioning the rice-a-roni just so when Spencer walked into the room. He was clad in plaid boxers and looked adorably tussled with his hair mussed and sleep still in his eyes. She smiled at him as she continued her work.**

**"Hi, honey, what are you doing awake?"**

**"I rolled over and when I felt your side of the bed was empty, I wanted to know where you were."**

**"You were worried about me?" Lila asked, finding it adorable he would be needy and lonely in a six hundred square foot apartment.**

**"You're my wife and I love you. When you're not by my side it's my natural inclination to worry," he replied, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her down from the chair.**

**"Please don't do that again," Spencer replied, his heart racing at the sight of his pregnant wife so high off the ground.**

**"Do what, honey? I was only a few feet off the ground."**

**"Exactly. For the duration of your pregnancy I want your feet on the ground at all times. Actually, I would prefer for them to remain that way the rest of the time as well."**

**"Spencer, you are being irrational."**

**"I'm aware of that, but it's only because of my overwhelming love for you."**

**Lila beamed at her overprotective, irrational husband as he leaned in for a kiss. They kissed for a few moments before Lila gestured towards the shelves.**

**"I did some cleaning while you were asleep."**

**"Yes, I can see that," Spencer said, examining her handwork. "they look great, babe. The shelves are actually sparkling."**

**"That's not all, Spence; you should see the refrigerator."**

**Spencer decided to do just that and opened the refrigerator door. He stared at his pristine fridge in amazement. Despite the clean nature of his home, that never seemed to translate to his food storage area. He looked over at his gorgeous wife with appreciation.**

**"You my dear are a woman of many talents."**

**"If cleaning your fridge is all it takes to make you happy, this marriage is going to be incredibly easy."**

**"Do you know what else will make this marriage incredibly easy? You being you."**

**Lila blushed and Spencer wrapped his arms around her waist. She wrapped hers around his neck and they started kissing. The kiss deepened and just as Spencer's hand made its way up her shirt, a loud rumbling startled them both. They pulled apart and Spencer giggled as his wife's blushed slightly.**

**"I guess hours and hours of lovemaking really builds up an appetite," she said sheepishly.**

**"Then let's conjure up some sustinence for you and Little Lila," Spencer said.**

**"I hate to disappoint you Magic Man, but our baby has a fifty-fifty percent chance of being a boy."**

**"Yes, but statistically I have a one hundred percent chance of always being right, so in light of those odds I think you need to resign yourself to a lifetime of lace and pink and dolls."**

**"Whatever you and our son like to do in your spare time is fine by me."**

**Spencer laughed and Lila looked through the cupboard before pulling out a box of Velveeta macaroni and cheese. As Lila bent down to grab a pot out of the lower cupboard, Spencer enjoyed the view of her ass. Seeing her in his shirt was arousing beyond belief, as was the fact that she wasn't wearing panties. Lila stood up and filled the pot with tap water. She placed it on the stove and turned on the flame. Spencer wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.**

**"Tomorrow we're going grocery shopping," he said.**

**"As long as you promise coffee, sugar, cereal, and condiments will **_**not **_**make an appearance on the list."**

**Spencer blushed and Lila giggled. Spencer looked around and finally zoomed in on the garbage, which held the disgarded take-out boxes and tupperware. He reached inside the examine the contents and Lila noticed him. She slapped his ass with her wooden spoon.**

**"Hey! What did you do that for?" Spencer yelped, although she hadn't really hit him that hard.**

**"Because there is no way I'm going to let my husband garbage pick rotten food. For goodness sake Spencer, some of that stuff is older than our unborn child."**

**"It's still good," Spencer grumbled, opening the take-out box that held left over sweet and sour chicken. Truth be told, the chicken was looking more radioactive than sweet and sour, but being a man he didn't notice.**

**"Really? You honestly think that....stuff is safe for human consumption?"**

**Spencer nodded and a mischevious glimmer filled her eyes. "Fine," she replied. She reached into the garbage and pulled out the stiromfoam box.**

**"W...what are you doing?" Spencer asked, looking wide eyed at his wife.**

**"If this is good enough for you, it's good enough for Lil Spence and I."**

**She reached into the box and pulled out something that sort of resembled chicken. She dangled it in front of her lips and Spencer reached over and smacked the food out of her hand. Lila tried not to laugh for various reasons, one of them being she was convinced her little niece hit harder than he did.**

**"You just hit me!" Lila exclaimed, trying to look angry, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed her.**

**"No, I just saved your life! Do you have any idea how old that chicken is or how far back it was in my refrigerator? It was also in the garbage for Heaven's sake!"**

**"You don't say," Lila replied, raising an eyebrow.**

**"Alright fine, you've made your point. How about if I take out the garbage while you finish dinner?"**

**"I think that's an excellent idea, however, you may want to put on some clothes. I would hate for some random girl to get an eyeful of your hotness and steal you away from me."**

**"I don't think we need to worry about that," Spencer replied, walking back to their bedroom to find clothes.**

**He returned moments later wearing baggy grey sweatpants, Captain Kirk t-shirt, and slippers. He kissed Lila's cheek, picked up the lone piece of chicken and placed in the garbage. He cleaned its mess, tied the garbage shut, and picked it up. As he carried it to its new home, Lila placed a fresh bag in the garbage and put it back in its proper place. After washing her hands, she turned her attention back to their dinner and reveled in the contented feeling of her new life.**


	8. Chapter 8Domestic Bliss & Star Trek

**Chapter Eight**

**"Normal is what everyone else is and you are not."~ Dr. Doran, to Geordi**

**It was a short time later and Spencer and Lila were cuddled beside each other on the couch eating their first dinner as a married couple in their home. Not only were they eating macaroni and cheese, but they were also having garlic bread, which Lila found in the freezer. She had also found a bag of frozen broccoli, which she added for color and nutrition. To complete the meal they were each drinking Lemon Lime flavored Gatorade. Lila was reclining against the sofa with her feet resting on the coffee table.**

**She was holding her bowel against her chest and taking small bites. Her garlic bread was resting on a napkin beside her glass on the small end table near the arm of the sofa. Spencer was stretched out on the sofa, his head on her lap and his plate on his chest. His glass was on the coffee table, complete with coaster. In fact, Spencer was insistent upon the usage of said coaster, providing her with one as well.**

**Lila was taken aback by his ocd, since he wasn't that way in Vegas, but she found it adorable. She gently scratched his head and gazed adoringly at him as they watched television. Spencer not only had Star Trek sheets and a Star Trek t-shirt, but he also had everything romotely related to Star Trek on DVD. At the moment the newlyweds were watching Star Trek: The Animated Series. Although she couldn't stand Star Wars, she found his childish delight in the series priceless.**

**He was watching in rapt attention, stating the characters' lines as they spoke them. He even made the sound effects. Lila shook her head, trying not to laugh at her quirky, cute husband. She loved how relaxed and adorable he was. She loved that he was totally at ease being himself around her. She continued scratching his head and after a while, Spencer looked up at her.**

**"Is this too much geekiness for you?" he asked, that adorable adolescent look on his face, the one that made her thighs melt everytime. It was the look that made her want to straddle him and do decidedly un-kid friendly things to him.**

**"You're not a Geek, babe, you're a Trekkie," Lila replied, playing with his sexy tussled hair. Although his hair was still dyed dark, he was letting it grow out again. She thought for a moment before asking.**

**"How would you feel about being called Droid?"**

**"You may call me anything ****you like, Trekkie-in-training," Spencer said with a chuckle. Then he went on.**

**"The word Android derives from ανδρός, the genitive of the Greek ανήρ **_**anēr**_**, meaning "man", and the suffix **_**-eides**_**, used to mean "of the species; alike"--from eidos "species." The term was first popularized by St. Albertus Magnus in 1270 and was popularized by the French writer Villiers in his 1886 novel L'Eve future. The term "android" appears in US patents as early as 1863 in reference to miniature human-like toy automatons."**

**Spencer watched Lila's reaction, looking to see if her eyes were glazed over, which was the reaction he usually received when he rambled. To his delight, Lila was gazing at him with rapt, adoring attention.**

**"Tell me more," Lila said.**

**Spencer was more than happy to launch into a detailed monologue about Star Trek, Androids, and anything else nerd related. Lila listened attentively and Spencer did a great job breaking everything down without sounding condescending. After a while, his monologue was over, as was the video. Suddenly, Spencer was struck by an engenius idea--as if there were any other kind for him. Lila watched as he walked over towards the television and removed the DVD from the DVD player.**

**After fiddling around for a few minutes, he returned to the sofa, with what appeared to be video game remotes in his hand. He handed one to Lila and kept one for himself, leaning against the sofa. He looked over and smiled at her.**

**"Do you like videogames?" he asked.**

**"Umm, sure," she replied. The truth was she had never played a videogame in her life.**

**Spencer studied her for a moment, wondering if the hedging in her tone was from a lack of desire. It didn't take long for him to understand why she was hesitant. He gave her a reassuring smile before kissing her on the teach.**

**"Don't worry love, I'll show you. We have plenty of time."**

**"That's true," Lila agreed, an amusing image of them in their seventies sitting on their sofa playing videogames.**

**The game Spencer had selected was **_**Star Trek Generations: Beyond the Nexus**_**, but assured her he had many more options from which to choose. Lila assured him that his selection was fine and he explained the premise. The game loosely followed the plot of the then-recently released **_**Star Trek Generations **_**movie. Lila had never seen the movie, but Spencer promised to show it to her later. The game started and Spencer was a detailed, patient teacher.**

**Spencer and Lila played videogames and she absorbed everything Star Tre until a little after two. Spencer removed the game from the system and carefully placed everything back in its proper place. They walked back into the bedroom and shed their clothes before crawling under the covers. They cuddled close and as they kissed, Lila began to speak.**

**"What I want now is gentleness, and joy, and love...from you, Data: you are fully functional, aren't you?"**

**"Of course," Spencer replied, his mouth twitching in amusement. "but..."**

**"How fully?" Lila asked, feeling just how functionary he was against her leg.**

**"In every way of course," Spencer said, running his hand up her leg. "I am programmed in multiple techniques." He kissed her deeply before moving his lips down her body, not missing an inch. She ran her fingers through his hair as he slowly traced her entrance with his tongue.**

**"A broad variety of pleasuring," he concluded, resting her legs over his shoulder.**

**"Oh, you jewel! That's exactly what I hoped," Lila moaned, gasping as Spencer went on to demonstrate how functional an Android he really was.**


	9. Chapter 9Domestic Bliss?

Chapter Nine--Domestic Bliss?

"A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers."~ Ruth Bell Graham

It was around nine o'clock when the newlyweds were awakened by the sound of their buzzer. They looked at each other and groaned, wondering who was so eager to bother them at such an obscenely early time of day. Lila sat up, but Spencer shook his head, motioning for her to lay back down.

"Stay here, love. I'll check to see who it is," he replied, stiffling a yawn as he threw on his boxers.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Lila asked, all too happy to acquiesce to her husband's instructions.

"No I'm not. In fact, I have given everyone I know very firm instructions not to bother us for the next month."

"And they are doing a bang-up job of listening," Lila replied as the buzzer sounded once again.

Spencer's mouth twitched with amusement as he leaned down to kiss her before walking into the living room to press the page button.

"Yes?" he asked, talking into the intercom. He found it ironic that for almost the entire time he was single and lonely, no one ever bothered him. Now that he was married and _wanted _to be left alone, suddenly he was Mr. Popularity.

"Hello, yes, is this the Reid residence?" a male voice asked, one that he had never heard before.

"Who wants to know?" Spencer asked, wondering if their would-be visitor was a journalist.

"My name is Roy and I'm from the moving company. We're here to deliver your belongings."

Spencer walked over to the balcony and pulled back the curtains, wanting verification. Sure enough, there were large orange and white moving van parked outside the apartment building and he could see a man in a beige uniform standing by the intercom.

"Give us a minute, Roy, and we'll let you in," Spencer said, wanting the movers to only get an eyeful of their apartment and not his sexy, naked wife.

"Of course, sir," Roy replied.

Spencer walked back into the bedroom and found his wife sound asleep again. He smiled and leaned over, kissing her on the lips. She stirred, moaning as her mouth moved in unison with his. Even when she wasn't fully conscious, her body still responded to his. As much as Spencer wanted to crawl into bed and join her, he knew they couldn't keep the movers waiting long.

"The movers are here," he replied.

"Hmm? M...movers....we're not moving..." Lila slurred, still not fully cognizant of what was happening around her. She just wanted to go back to sleep.

"Yes, love, I am aware of that," Spencer said chuckling. "they are here to deliver our--mostly _your_--belongings."

"We're married now, babe, so there is no more 'mine' and 'yours'--just ours."

"That's a lovely sentiment, Lila, but I don't have any use for your clothes."

"I don't know, babe, I think you would look pretty damn hot in fishnet stockings and stilettos."

"I'll take your word for it," Spencer said chuckling, pulling her up and trying not to drool as the sheets slipped from her body and revealed her breasts.

Spencer went into the restroom to brush his teeth while Lila stumbled over to her suitcase to find something to wear. She and Spencer had been otherwise occupied, so they hadn't had time to unpack. That was just as well, considering they only had one carry-on a piece and they obviously had more unpacking to do. She pulled out a matching bra and panty set, along with sweatpants and a tank top. Spencer had packed her carry-on, so she wasn't at all surprised to see only the most casual of clothes and the sexiest of her undergarments had made the cut.

She dressed quickly and ran a brush through her hair before throwing it into a ponytail. As she made her way towards the restroom, Spencer was walking out. He eyed his wife up and down with obvious appreciation.

"Very nice," Spencer said, pulling her towards him.

"Only you would find sweatpants and a tank top sexy," Lila said, giggling as he kissed her neck.

"I just think you are incredibly hot in casual garb," he said, his hand moving up her tank top.

"Spence, we can't--the movers...." Lila said, moaning as he tweaked her erect nipples.

"Fuck the movers," Spencer replied, his hand disappearing into her bra. He lowered his mouth to her chest, flicking his tongue against the material of her shirt. "I really wish you wouldn't wear bras."

"I would rather fuck you, but we can't until the movers finish their job."

Spencer stuck out his bottom lip in a pout and Lila giggled. He patted her butt as went into the bedroom. He threw on a pair of khakis and a t-shirt before walking back to the intercom to buzz the movers in. Within minutes, an assembly line of movers glided in and out, turning their modest apartment into a storage facility. When the movers finish their job, they quietly left, leaving the newlyweds alone in a sea of cardboard boxes. They exchanged glances as they tried to make their way through the chaos.

"Lila, love, you only have one body--why do you need so many clothes?" Spencer asked, eyeing each box with amazement.

"Wow, you really don't know the first thing about women," Lila said, as if just discovering that fact.

"Point taken," Spencer said, laughing.

"Besides, not all of this stuff is mine. I seem to remember you made a few cameos on our vacation as well." 

"Yes, that is true," Spencer agreed, eyeing the suitcases that were clearly his. Although he hadn't brought much in the way of clothes, he did bring enough books to start his own bookstore.

"At least I only brought along my clothes and knicknacks--could you imagine if I would have brought my furniture as well?"

Lila had asked Ashley to donate her furniture to charity or keep what she wanted for herself. Ashley had opted for the former, since she was quite content with her much-loved furniture. Lila had had a month-to-month lease on her place, so thankfully she wasn't in breech of contract.

"Lila, love, we need a new place," Spencer decreed, examining each of the boxes, some of which contained their wedding presents, as well as their gifts to each other.

"Why, Spencer? The place we have now is great. Once we have everything unpacked and organized to our liking it'll look fine."

"I want better than 'fine' for you. You are the best so you deserve the best. Besides, we're going to have a baby in a few months and she needs a room of her own."

"I do have the best--you. Besides, our baby won't need his own room for at least a year or two. It would actually be more convenient for us to keep him in our room so I can nurse."

"We can keep her in our room if you would prefer, but that still doesn't change the fact we need a new home. For goodness sake, Lila, we can hardly move around as it is and it's only the two of us. What's going to happen when Little Lila arrives?--there's only so much organization we can do in a six hundred and twenty foot space."

Lila knew that Spencer's desire for a house had more to do with his male desire to prove his capability of providing for their family than anything else. She adored their tiny, cozy apartment and would be perfectly fine staying here for a while. Afterall, what in the world did a baby need its own room for? She found the prospect of moving yet again tiresome and exhausting, but she knew it was important to him.

"When does your apartment lease expire?" Lila asked, knowing his was a one-year as opposed to her one month.

"In a week and a half," Spencer said.

"So you expect us to find a house move-in ready in less than two weeks? That doesn't sound unrealistic at _all_."

"Even if we don't find one now, we will soon and I am more than happy to break my lease early."

"Spence no, I don't want you to do that. There are penalties attached to that, not to mention the added expense. If you do have to renew your lease and a one month isn't an option, at least let me buy you out of your lease."

"No," Spencer said firmly, not wanting to take his wife's money.

"Spencer, you are being silly. There is no 'mine' or 'yours' anyone, just 'ours'--remember? Besides, I had you added to my checking account so you may use it at any time. Your card should be coming in the mail within a few days."

"Lila, that's a lovely gesture, but I don't _want _your money and it is 'your' money--you worked for it so it's yours. I may not have as much money as you, but I'm still capable of taking care of you and our family."

"I know you are Spencer, but I love you and want to share everything with you, just like you are with me. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, there are accounts my lawyers won't let you anywhere near."

Although Lila had made a decent amount of money through her Hollywood career, most of it was in the form of investments, stocks, and what was left to her by her deceased grandparents. Preston and Jane Hayworth were shrewed business people and probably knew as much--if not more--about finances than some so-called experts. Christian had wanted one of his men to handle Lila's finances, but the Hayworths made it abundently clear that that would only happen when pigs flew.

And since swine were still not airborne, neither through aviation or their own devices, Lila's money was being handled by the same firm that had been with the Hayworth family for over a century. Lila made enough money on the interest alone to live very comfortably and never needed to use her savings.

"Actually, Lila, that does make me feel better," Spencer said.

Although he was hardly a financial illiterate, it made him feel relieved to know Lila had a nestegg that was entirely hers. In fact, Spencer had a respectible bank account of his own, since his genius also crept into the art of finance as well. Not only did he save as much money as humanly possible and make wise investments, but also made money during his trips to Las Vegas.

"Why don't we have breakfast?" Lila suggested, wanting to change the subject. "afterwards we can go grocery shopping like we discussed."

The last thing she wanted to do was quarrel with her husband, especially when there was no real reason for discord in the first place. For both of their sakes she hoped he would get over his male pride and realize he gave her something that went beyond the financial. He provided her with unconditional love and support, which meant more to her than any bank account or paycheck.

Spencer and Lila entered the kitchen and prepared a simple breakfast of cereal with coffee for Spencer. When they were finished, Spencer washed the dishes. Although he had a dishwasher, he was washing everything by hand since there wasn't very much and he didn't want dirty dishes festering in the washer.

After they were dried and put away, Lila went off the retrieve her purse while Spencer placed his wallet in his pocket. He was picking his keys up off the table when Lila returned to the living room. He frowned when he noticed she had changed into snug fitting jeans and a green halter top. She had also applied light makeup.

"Why did you change?" he asked.

"Because we're going out and I don't want to look sloppy."

"You didn't look 'sloppy'--you looked beautiful as always. In fact, I prefer you in casual attire."

"Why? Who in their right mind would favor baggy sweats over skinny jeans?"

"I prefer the sweats because they mean you are comfortable enough with me to not feel the need to constantly preen. I think you're gorgeous regardless of what you're wearing, but I do think the makeup and revealing clothes are un-necessary." He also didn't like the idea of other men oggling his wife and her possibly noticing them, but decided to omit that part.

"Spencer, a halter is hardly lingerie and besides, the bust line doesn't dip that low anyway." Sure enough, the garment only had a small v and only showed a minimal amount of cleavage.

Spencer frowned, obviously not amused and Lila sighed. "Spencer, regardless of what I wear people are going to look at me. I'm famous, so it's a fact of life. I can't wait for the day when people have no idea who I am, but until then, you need to get over your irrational desire to render me unnoticable."

Before Spencer could say a word, Lila walked past him, and out of the apartment. Spencer took off after her, securely locking the door behind him.


	10. Chapter 10New Beginnings

Chapter Ten-New Beginnings

"A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams."~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Spencer and Lila rode in silence, deciding total silence was the only way in which they couldn't offend each other. Spencer wanted to drive around before they went shopping and he was keeping their destination a secret. Lila was in charge of song selection and she was in a Bon Jovi mood. They sat in silence, letting the lyrics flood over them as they searched for words of their own. Finally, it was Lila who decided to break the silence.

"Where are we going, Spencer?" she asked.

"I don't know. I'm just in the mood to drive around for a while-you don't mind, do you?"

"No," Lila replied, thinking her opinion was irrelevent since they were already doing that activity.

"Lila," Spencer began, resting his hand on her knee. He gavve it a gentle squeeze as he spoke.

"I know you think I'm behaving like an imperial ass and I suppose you're right, but this is all new to me. I've never been in a serious relationship before so it will take some time for me to learn how to get it right. Even if I'm working your last nerve, just know that everything I do or say is for you and all I want is to make you happy."

"I know you mean well, Spence," Lila replied, resting her hand on top of his. "just try to remember that I love you and only you and nothing will never change that."

Spencer gave her leg another squeeze, unable to speak due to the lump in his throat. Lila leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, causing him to wrap his arm around her.

"And you don't have to treat me as if I'm made out of glass-I'm stronger than I appear."

Spencer simply kissed the top of her head, knowing any promises of cessation would be a lie. His wife seemed to read his mind, so she simply kissed his cheek as they continued driving. As Lila absorbed their surroundings, she started to notice how lovely the neighborhood was. It was so tranquil and reminded Lila of a Normal Rockwell painting. She looked over at Spencer, who had a mischevious smile on his face.

"Spence-where are we going exactly?"

"You'll see," Spencer said, turning down another street. Lila noticed the streetname was North Quantico, so she looked over at him.

"Spencer, honey, why are we in Quantico?"

"You'll see," Spencer repeated, that sneaky little smile not leaving his lips.

"Spencer!" Lila exclaimed, giving his arm a slap. Spencer giggled as the car swerved slightly. He gripped the wheel and got them centered again.

"Careful, love, there's a baby on board," he said.

"There will also be an FBI agent with a black eye if you don't give me some sort of hint."

"Hey now, that's assault on a federal agent. That's a felony young lady."

"Not if the recipient enjoyed it. I happen to know you like it rough."

"Yes I do," Spencer replied, lacing his fingers through hers, bringing her hand up to his mouth for a kiss.

Lila blushed, putty in his hands whenever he did that. It was a few minutes later and they were pulling into the gravel driveway of one of the cutest houses Lila had ever seen. It was a two story bungalow style house. The exterior was painted white and the window sills and siding were painted a cheerful French blue. To the left of the attic was a charming brick chimney and a second floor patio.

Lila thought that was unusual since she had never seen anything like that before, but it was cute. There were three pine trees in the front; one on the lefthand side of the front yard and two on either side of the house. Lila loved trees, pine in particular because they reminded her of Christmas, and she thought they were a wonderful, organic privacy fence. There were also immaculate rose bushes, which of course Lila loved. A small white patio table and two matching chairs in the front completed the cozy picture.

"Spence, where are we? Whose house is this? I thought you didn't want anything to do with the outside world for the next month."

"I don't," Spencer replied, climbing out of the car and shutting the door before walking over to Lila's side and opening hers. She unbuckled her seatbelt and he took her hand, assisting her out of the vehicle.

"I need a new car," Spencer replied.

"I love your car. It has character," Lila replied, knowing full well her opinion didn't really matter anyway. Once Spencer made up his mind that was it.

"I know you do, love, and I appreciate that, but this car is older than we are. You and our baby deserve a safer mode of transportation."

"Then I could just lease a car for you," Lila suggested. "I need a new car myself since the lease on my old one expired and you can still keep this one."

"You don't need to lease me a car. I can afford a car on my own," Spencer replied, not liking the idea of his wife spending her money on him. He knew it was an old-fashioned notion, but he felt that as the man of the house it was his responsiblity to provide for his family, not his wife's.

"Spencer, the 1950s called. They want their archiac, man-is-in-charge-of-his-family-and-must-fend-for-the-little-woman mentality back."

Spencer laughed and Lila joined in as well, loving the sound of her agent's adorable giggle. "I mean for goodness sake Spence, it's a car lease, not a kidney. Spouses do that sort of thing for each other all the time."

"I know, but I still don't like the idea of you spending money on me."

"I have more money than I'll need for two lifetimes. What's the point of having it if I can't spend it? Besides, you can get leases at a pretty reasonable rate."

"Yes, but what if you live three lifetimes?"

Lila made a face and Spencer laughed again. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and found the one he was looking for. He inserted it into the keyhole and turned it until the door clicked open. Lila followed him inside and look around. The front room was painted beige and the floors were hard wood.

The door and trim were painted white and dainty white curtains hung from the curtain rod. There was also a brick fireplace, which added an old world charm to the room. What struck Lila was the fact that the house was completely empty. She looked over at her husband, whose facial expression resembled that of a naughty schoolboy who was in the principal's office and didn't care.

"Spencer-why are we standing in an empty house and why do you have a key?"

"Because this house is ours-if you want it to be that is," Spencer said, adding the last part of his sentence hastily, in leu of the fact his wife seemed to hate it when he made decisions without her imput.

"You bought a house without me?" Lila asked, trying to remain calm.

The truth was, she was more than a little ticked. She wasn't ready for yet another move and she would have appreciated having some sort of imput. She knew her opinion didn't mean anything to him, but she at least wanted to pretend it did.

"No I didn't. When I first saw this place I thought you would love it, but I wanted to hold off on making such a decision until I heard what you had to say. I know you hate the thought of moving and I'm not thrilled with that notion either, but it's something we'll have to do eventually. I just think it would be easier to do it now as opposed to later when we have the baby and all of her belongings to contend with as well."

"You do have a point," Lila grudgingly admitted. As much as she detested moving, the idea of doing so with a toddler strapped to her hip was becoming less and less appealing.

"If you don't like the house that's fine. Nothing has been made official yet and we certainly have other options."

"This is just moving really fast, that's all. We've only been together two weeks and in that time span we have started a family, gotten married, and now we're discussing our second move in less than twenty-four hours."

"You aren't...having second thoughts are you? A...about us?" Spencer asked, not even wanting to contemplate that possibility.

"What? No, no, no, _no_!" Lila exclaimed, pulling him close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She kissed him hard before pulling back.

"I have loved every second of our time together and I could never regret being with you. I'm just a little dizzy from the whirlwind. Do you always live life at such lightning speed?"

"Only when it comes to you," Spencer said, kissing her again. When they pulled apart, he looked into her eyes and ran his fingers through her hair.

"We can leave if you want," he said.

"Without having a full tour? Absolutely not," Lila said. "I want to see everything this house has to offer."

"Yes ma'am," Spencer said, thrilled that she didn't appear angry with him anymore. He took her hand in his and led her around.

What Lila liked about the house immediately was how all of the rooms flowed together and how open and airy the layout was. They walked from the living room to the family room and she took note of the high ceilings, which boasted fans. There were also two rectangular windows eye level to the fans, as well as a glass door leading into the yard. There was also a large, four paneled window, trimmed in dark brown wood. The door and elevated windows had the same trim as well and the walls were painted an oatmeal color.

The floors were hardwood of course, which Lila loved since that made for easy clean up. The family room flowed into the breakfast room, which boasted a large window as well as hardwood floors and neutral colored walls. She liked the idea of having both a small, intimate breakfast room as well as a formal dining room.

Next on the floorplan was the kitchen, which was absolutely adorable. The cupboards were pristine white, as was the little island in the middle. The counter was pale blue marble and the appliances stainless steel. The kitchen floors were tile and the color was sort of a champagne meets light caramel. Beside the kitchen was also the first of the three and a half bathrooms. This one was the half bathroom and the floors were tiled and the walls white.

Opposite the family room was the dining room, which boasted a large window, chandelier, and beige walls. Once Lila had her fill of the main living quarters, Spencer led her to the study. Lila somehow new that besides the bedroom, this would be her husband's favorite room. The door was painted white, as was the door leading into the closet. The window sill was white as well and the floors were a dark wood.

Next to the study was the first of the five bedrooms. This one was obviously a guestroom and the floors were carpeted. The room had a large window as well as a generous sized closet. Upon leaving the guest room, Spencer led her down to the finished basement, which had a washer and dryer as well as well as a full bathroom. The space was expansive and just begging for a pool and air hockey table.

Spencer led her up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The space was huge and boasted high ceilings, hard wood floors, and French Vanilla colored walls. Since this was the master bedroom, they had their own private bathroom. The floors were made of marble and were the same color as the kitchen tiles. The same color mable surrounded the large white tub as well.

Lila was almost certain the deep, expansive tub, which doubled as a jacquzi, was the reason Spencer wanted the place. The toilet was simple white porceline and then there was the shower. It was positioned beside the tub and had glass doors, a removable shower head, and a little seat built against the wall. Those were pleasant attractions as well and brought back pleasant memories of their time in Las Vegas.

Spencer seemed to know what his wife was thinking and simply gave her a little wink. He led her out of the master bedroom and showed her the other three rooms. As well as the family quarters, this floor of the house also had the last restoom. When Lila entered the first bedroom, she immediately zoned in on the expansive window, complete with window seat. She imaged it filled with cuddly toys for Little Spence to enjoy. The rooms looked pretty much the same and were about the same size.

They each boasted huge windows, carpeting, and walk-in closets. Spencer could already picture their baby's room, a gorgeous frilly pink confection, epitomizing femininity. He also knew the inventory of his daughter's closet would rival that of any department store. Spencer led her up another flight of stairs into the finished attic, which could also function as bedroom space should they need it. The floors were wood and the walls neutral. As Spencer led her down the stairs, Lila spoke.

"How did you learn about this place?" she asked.

"Derek told me. He purchases and remodels homes as a hobby and thought this place would be perfect for us."

"Can you tell me more about it?"

"Well," Spencer began as they cut through the kitchen and onto the deck. The deck was brand new and freshly stained. The railing was painted white and there was a patio set towards the staircase.

"The house was built in 1925 and completely restored. It was a foreclosure and had been on the market for over a year, so Derek was able to purchase it at a reasonable price. This house is close to eight thousand square feet and we are minutes away from shopping centers, the library, not to mention the BAU."

Spencer went on to explain that the house was a detached Bungalow and went on to explain the square footage of each room. They reached the bottom of the stairs and Lila took in the backyard. The yard was 0.18 acres and Lila felt as if she was in her own little Eden. There were trees, bushes, and other plant life that made the property feel very organic and private. One tree in particular begged for a tree house and Lila didn't think she would have to twist Spencer's arm too hard to build one for their children.

The bottom steps leading from the deck led to a large rounded patch of light, sandy colored stones. Wooden chairs surrounded the edge of the space and Lila summized that this area was meant for bon fires. The yard itself had plenty of space for a swing set and even a pool. Knowing how Spencer was about safety, she figured he would prefer an above ground pool, even though she preferred in ground. Towards the end of the yard was a creek, surrounded by stones.

It reminded Lila of a Koi pond and she just loved it. She could picture herself spending leisurely warm days beside it, reading or gardening. She knew the baby would love it as well, although she knew well enough to know that Spencer would have a heart attack if she brought their son anywhere near an open body of water. In fact, she wouldn't put it past him to drain the creek before their child was born. She knelt beside the water, letting her hand dip inside.

"What do you think?" Spencer asked, kneeling beside her.

He knew this house was nothing like the ones to which she was accustomed, but it was still nice and he could picture them being very happy and building years and years worth of happy memories. Lila looked over at Spencer and smiled, inching closer to him. She withdrew her hand from the water and grabbed his shirt collar with his hands. She pulled him close and planted a long, lingering kiss on his lips. When they finally pulled apart, Lila looked into his eyes and ran her hands through his hair.

"I think we're home," she replied.


	11. Chapter 11Checks and Balances

**Chapter Eleven-Checks and Balances**

**"Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break."~Jane Wells.**

**It was later that day and Spencer and Lila were at the grocery store. Once Lila gave him the go-ahead, Spencer called Derek and told him they wanted the house. The threesome made arragements to meet tomorrow morning and sign the necessary paperwork. With their living situation taken care of, they were now stocking up on food for the next couple of days. Since they were going to be moving next week, they decided not to purchase too much, so they would have less to take with them.**

**"I think we have just gone on the biggest shopping spree of our lives. Who buys a house in one day?" Lila marveled.**

**Spencer and Lila were in the dairy section and Spencer was placing a gallon of milk into the cart. Lila preferred two percent, but Spencer insisted she have whole so the baby would receive optimal nurishment. Lila decided to placate her overprotective, anal husband and allowed him to have final say on the milk selection. Thankfully he posed no objection to brown eggs as opposed to white.**

**"It isn't a done deal yet, love. We still have papers to sign," Spencer pointed out, loading different types of cheese into the cart, making certain none of them posed a threat to their unborn child.**

**"Besides," he added. "it's not as if you are putting any money down on this house anyway. I'm not letting you."**

**Spencer was well aware that his response would not be met with a positive reaction. What he was not prepared for, however, was the feeling of their shopping cart being rammed into his slender frame. He doubled over in agony, grabbing his tummy.**

**"What the Hell was that for?" he sputtered, looking at his wife in wide-eyed shock.**

**"For being such an imperial jerk! I am so sick of you trying to control me and tell me what to do! For God's sake, Spencer, I was on my own for twenty-eight years and managed to live to tell about it, so quit treating me like an imbeccile. I may not have a genius IQ, but I'm not stupid!"**

**"I never said you were, Lila, and please stop shouting and calm down. Stress isn't good for you or the baby. In fact, studies show that high stress levels in expectant mothers..."**

**By now Lila was tuning out her annoying, controlling husband, focusing on her task of slamming random types of yogurt into the cart. Spencer approached and picked up one of the yogurts, examining it carefully.**

**"Are you certain this yogurt is made from pasteurized milk? Do you remember what I told you about the dangers of unpasteurized milk during pregnancy?" he asked.**

**"No I don't because I'm a total fucking moron," Lila hissed, throwing a pack of yogurt at him to emphasize each word.**

**"Lila, I never said..."**

**"Yes, you did," Lila hissed, grabbing the cart handle as she swerved it past Spencer, running over his feet in the process.**

**"Where are you going?" Spencer demanded, not wanting his wife to be alone in a vulnerable state.**

**"As far away from you as humanly possible. Meet me in the bread aisle when you decide not to be an asshole."**

**"Lila, I would love to meet you in the bread aisle, but I can't."**

**"Why not? Do you need to run off and buy a boat without my knowledge? Hell, why not an entire marina? This grocery store? Better yet, why don't you buy the entire town and name it Spencerland because you seem to think the whole world revolves around you?"**

**"Lila, you know those aren't the reasons and please lower your voice. I cannot meet you in the bread aisle because you are heading towards the hygiene section."**

**"Ah!" Lila shouted, turning the cart sharply as she stomped towards the correct aisle, knocking over a display in her haste and fury.**

**Under normal circumstances she would have stopped and cleaned up the mess, but she was too rage-filled to notice. She grabbed a loaf of bread off of the shelf and slammed it into the cart, wishing it were Spencer's head. She couldn't get over her husband's gall. She was trying to be patient and understanding with him because she knew this was his first serious relationship, but he was driving her crazy with his controlling ways. Lila hated that he was so condescending and how he treated her like a child.**

**He was starting to remind her of her controlling ex-boyfriend from college, as well as Christian. Deep down she knew Spencer loved and cared about her, but she didn't want to be treated like a dolt either. She wanted to be an equal in their marriage, to know that her opinion actually meant something to him. She threw another loaf of bread into the cart, this one raisin bread. She pushed the cart to the end of the aisle and made a left. She was so lost in her own little world she almost ran into the ran who had made her so angry in the first place.**

**"Spencer, what are you doing?" Lila hissed, manuvering the cart around him.**

**"I have made the decision to in your words 'not be an asshole.' Lila, I know I may not always word things correctly, but I want you to know that I love you and everything I do is with your best interest at heart."**

**"I understand that, Spencer, but you need to accept the fact that I am capable of making my own decisions and I don't need you to think for me. If this marriage is going to work I need to be an equal partner and have as much input as you. For God's sake Spencer, what were you thinking, telling me I couldn't contribute financially to the purchase of our own home? And speaking of that house, if it wasn't for Derek you would have gone ahead and bought it without me wouldn't you?"**

**"Yes," Spencer admitted, bowing his head sheepishly. Derek, having had more experience with women, had been able to forsee the potential negative consequences of buying a home without consulting one's wife.**

**"See, that's what I mean. Spencer, why can't you be the way you were before, in Vegas? Why have our rings given you permission to turn into a dictator?"**

**"I...I guess they just made everything real, and that scares me."**

**Lila remained silent, allowing her husband to continue. He slowly walked over to her and stopped so that he was right next to her. He laced his fingers through hers as he continued.**

**"Before we were married I just took each day one at a time, wanting to savor every incredible moment with you because I never really thought you would want to be with me forever. Even after we were married that thought remained, only this time I had so much more to lose. I guess by acting as if I'm in control I can let myself believe that I am, although I know I'm not. I know I'm making you crazy with my behavior, but I never want you to doubt your decision to marry me.**

**I always want you to feel that it was the right choice. I want you to know that even though I'm not from the same circle as you, I can still take care of you. I may not have millions like your family or the families you grew up with, but I can still provide for you and our family."**

**"Oh Spence," Lila whispered, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him close. She threw her arms around him and kissed him on the lips.**

**"I know you are capable of being the man of the house, and you are. But Spencer, you need to understand that your contribution goes far beyond the monetary. You give me a sense of peace and security I never thought I could experience. You make me feel loved and because of you I look forward to getting out of bed everyday. I think those things matter more than what you put in our bank account."**

**A large smile spread across Spencer's reddened face. Lila wiped the tears out of his eyes as she kissed him again.**

**"Alright...you can help buy the house," Spencer said in between kisses.**

**"Damn right," Lila replied. "and will you use the debit card being sent to you?" she asked, referring to the one that had originally only been hers.**

**Spencer hesitated and Lila nipped his bottom lip. Spencer chuckled and pulled back, his sensitive flesh stinging slightly.**

**"Hey, it takes time to lose one's rigidity!"**

**"Just don't lose all of it."**

**Spencer and Lila shared a naughty smile and kiss before wandering down the rest of the aisles. Spencer wrapped his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. They managed to complete the rest of their shopping trip without incident and Spencer even let her use her own credit card to pay for their groceries. Once the shopping trip was complete, they drove home to savor their last few days in their small love nest.**


	12. Chapter 12Apartment Christening

**Chapter Twelve-Apartment Christening**

"**Sex is more than an act of pleasure, its' the ability to be able to feel so close to a person, so connected, so comfortable that it's almost breathtaking to the point you feel you can't take it. And at this moment you're a part of them."~Author Unknown**

**It was the next day around nine o'clock the next morning and Lila's eyes slowly opened. She blinked as she stretched, the movement bringing life to her slumbered limbs. As consciousness took over, a smile spread across her face as the happiness and peace overtook her body. Before Spencer came into her life she used to loathe waking up, everyday a struggle against ending it all. She would never tell Spencer this, but the day she and Spencer reunited she was considering ending her life.**

**Now she could hardly wait to start her day and wanted to absorb as much of life as possible. She rolled over, wanting to show her new lease on life just how much she loved him. To her surprise she found his side of the bed empty. She sat up, holding the comforter against her bare skin as she looked around for her better half. She didn't have to ponder his whereabouts long, however, since at that moment he walked into the bedroom, carrying a tray.**

**Spencer looked sexy as always, clad in only boxers with a Star Trek pattern. The tray consisted of herbal tea, scrambled egg whites, fruit mixed with plain yogurt, and whole grain toast with apple marmalade. In addition to the plates and silverware, there was a tall, slender vase holding a single red rose. He set the tray on the nightstand before sitting next to her. Once he settled onto the mattress, he placed the tray between them. They were both sitting cross legged on the bed.**

**"Oh, Spence, this looks great," Lila replied, leaning over to kiss the most amazing husband in the world.**

**"Well, it has been said that we need just three things in life: something to do," he started, removing the rose from the vase and breaking off some of the stem before tucking it behind her left ear.**

**"something to look forward to," he continued, gesturing to their breakfast and wrapping his arm around her.**

**"and someone to love," he concluded before claiming her lips with his.**

**"What a wonderful quote. Who originally said it?"**

**"It's anonymous, but you give it meaning, just as you do my life. You are those three necessities and so much more."**

**Lila blushed and they kissed again. When their lips parted, Lila ran her fingers through his hair as she spoke.**

**"Ancient lovers believed a kiss would literally unite their souls, because the spirit was said to be carried in one's breath."**

**"Do you think we're connected enough?" Spencer asked, his lips twitching. He was resting his hand on her face and running his thumb along her chin.**

**"I don't know, sweetie, I think we need to kiss once more, just to be sure."**

**"Of course," Spencer replied, all too happy to dive in.**

**Spencer and Lila kissed passionately, the kiss becoming more and more heated. Lila set the tray on the ground before straddling him. She ran her hands up and down his skin. Her hands moved lower, removing his boxers as she continued kissing him.**

**"You need to eat, love. The baby..." Spencer moaned as Lila wrapped her hand around his arousal.**

**"All I need is that massive, amazing cock of yours inside me now."**

**"Umm...okay..." Spencer squeeked, almost busting at that moment.**

**Spencer arched his hips upward and Lila guided him inside of her, gasping as his largeness filled her. Her eyes rolled back and her head tilted back as she began to move on top of him. Spencer groaned, wrapping his hands around her hips as he thrusted inside of her. Lila moaned deeply, whispering 'oh my God' repeatedly as he brought her close and close to the edge.**

**Spencer sat up, moving hands from her hips to her breasts, massasing the sensitive orbs as he sucked a swollen nipple into his mouth. Lila cried out, grabbing onto his head as his mouth moved from one breast to the other. Her orgasm was within reach, so when he withdrew suddenly, she cried out in protest.**

**"W...w...what? Why...?" she sputtered, her mind spinning as she was unable to form a complete sentence.**

**Spencer climbed out of the bed, pulling her with him. They went into the bathroom and he sat her on the sink. He kissed her passionately before moving his lips lower, not missing an inch of her skin. He knelt before her and parted her legs, resting them over his shoulders. He ran his tongue along her opening while looking her in the eye.**

**She arched her hips towards him, grasping his head. Spencer kissed her opening, moving his lips towards her inner thighs. As he traced them with his tongue, his index finger twirled around her clit. His tongue soon followed and his fingers descended into her womanhood. Lila cried out and she could feel her pleasure mounting.**

**Soon Spencer's tongue replaced his fingers and he continued to explore her. His tongue didn't miss an inch and he started moving it around in different shapes. He was using what was known as alphabet style, where he traced the letters of the alphabet on her desire. He was midway through his H when sensed she was about to go over the edge. He wanted to delay her release for as long as possible, since the longer she waited the more intense it would be.**

**Spencer pulled her from the sink and led her into the shower. Soon the water was blasting and they were kissing passionately under the water. Lila wrapped her hand around his throbbing member, moving it up and down. Spencer let out a groan and Lila knelt in front of him, running her tongue up and down his shaft. He ran his fingers through her dampened hair as her mouth worked its magic, while her hands lavished attention on his other masculine parts.**

**Spencer could feel himself close to orgasm, so he turned off the shower and dragged Lila out. They scampered towards the laundry room and Spencer hoistered her onto the washer. Lila moaned as he started sucking on her neck.**

**"Oh my God, Spence, you are ravenous. Are we finally christening your apartment?" she gasped as he nipped and sucked her sensitive flesh.**

**"I figured we may as well give it one big hurrah before we have to leave," he replied, rubbing his arousal against her entrance before shoving it inside of her.**

**Lila cried out in pleasure and Spencer thrusted inside of her for a while before they moved on to the rest of the apartment, including the balcony and storage close. When they were both clammering for release they raced back to the bedroom and jumped into bed. Spencer pulled her towards the edge of the mattress as he knelt down in before her. He reached over for a pillow and placed it under his knees as he moved between her legs. He placed his hands under her knees and moved forward, entering her swiftly.**

**Spencer moved rapidly, knowing she was as desparate for release as he was. Lila gripped the sheets crying out as her pleasure mounted. Spencer claimed her lips hungrily as he changed the movements of his hips. Lila cried out as her pleasure exploded. One orgasm flowed after the other, the intensity causing her to fall onto her back.**

**Her eyes rolled rolled back and a deep gasps rasped from her throat, the sensations making her light headed. Spencer pulled her back up, kissing her again as he joined her in bliss. His hips bucked as his desire poured into her, more intense than it had ever been before. After one last shudder he collapsed on top of her, holding her face in his hands as they kissed passionately. When he was fianlly able to move, he rolled off of her, pulling her with him.**

**Spencer gently smoothed the hair from her face, tucking a strand behind her ear. She gently stroked his face and kissed his jaw.**

**"Wow," she whispered, her mind still racing too rapidly to form a complete sentence.**

**"Back at you," Spencer whispered back, resting his thumb and index finger under her chin, tilting her face upward so he could kiss her again.**

**"Are you absolutely sure you were a virgin when you met me?" Lila asked, looking at him in absolute awe.**

**"100%," Spencer said with a chuckle. He cuddled her close and kissed her forehead, running his hand along her bare skin.**

**"You are the reason for my unbridled passion. I never thought I could connect so completely with someone before and being with you has revealed a side of myself I never knew existed. I now know why my relationships with other women didn't pan out: they weren't you."**

**Lila blinked back tears and she couldn't respond due to the lump in her throat. Their lips reunited and they kissed tenderly until a loud rumbling disrupted their intimacy. They both looked down at their stomachs and then each other before giggling. After coaxing his wife to remain in bed and make herself comfortable, Spencer climbed out of bed so he could reheat their eggs, tea, and toast. He handed her one of the yogurt cups, as well as a spoon before picking up the tray.**

**As he walked off, Lila gave him a playfull slap on the butt, loving his sexy derriere. Spencer blushed and she could hear him giggling as he walked towards the kitchen. Lila crawled under the sheets and fell back against the pillows, glowing from head to toe as her body still hummed from her husband's solicitous attentions.**


	13. Chapter 13Planning For Baby Reid

**Chapter Thirteen-Planning for Baby Reid**

**"To be pregnant is to be vitally alive, thoroughly woman, and undoubtedly inhabited."~Anne Buchanan & Debra Klingsporn**

**It was a short time later and Spencer and Lila were reclining in bed, tucking into their breakfast. Spencer reheated their food but came to the conclusion that some foods are better the first time around. He made more toast, tea, and eggs, as well as some bacon. Lila wasn't interested in the bacon, but she was enjoying the extra yogurt cup he brought her. For his part, Spencer was just relieved to see her eating.**

**As they ate, they discussed their plans for the week. The top items on their list were finalizing the sale of their home, Lila's name change and obtaining a new driver's license and social security card, and of course finding an OB-GYN. Dr. Jesson had recommended several names to them and they were weighing the pros and cons of each option. To Spencer's credit, for once he wasn't acting like a nazi for a change and Lila actually felt as if her option mattered.**

**"How do you feel about Dr. Edwards?" Lila asked, re-reading his information in between sips of tea. All of the doctors were affliated with George Washington University Hospital, which was where Lila would deliver the babies.**

**"I don't think he has enough experience," Spencer said, frowning thoughtfully.**

**"He has been an OB for ten years," Lila pointed out.**

**"Yes, but Dr. Hollis has been an OB for forty years," Spencer countered, handing Lila the information sheet.**

**"Plus she's a woman," Lila said, raising an eyebrow at her husband.**

**"Is that a problem?" Spencer asked, wondering why his wife was so eager for another man to see what was now only meant for his eyes.**

**"I just don't want Dr. Hollis as my OB. She's a little older than I would prefer and I don't think she would be able to relate to me. Besides, she looks a little...frigid in her photo."**

**Spencer studied the picture on the information sheet and conceeded that his wife did have a point. With her mousy brown/grey hair pulled back into a severe bun, thick framed glasses, and humorless appearance, he could understand why his wife would feel uncomfortable around her.**

**"Alright, Hollis out," Spencer said, tossing the sheet onto the floor. Lila found her husband's acquiescence incredibly sexy.**

**"Good," she said, kissing him on the lips.**

**They went through the rest of the sheets and the rest of the physicians were rejected on the basis of being too old, not having enough experience, looking creepy in their photos, and of course, being too male. They finally stumbled upon their last sheet and Lila scanned it.**

**"How do you feel about Dr. Gubler and Dr. Matthew-Gray?" she asked.**

**Dr. Andrew Gubler and Dr. Marilyn Matthew-Gray were partners in their OB-GYN practice, as well as brother and sister. In keeping with the spirit of family, Andrew's wife Laura and Marilyn's husband Maxwell were peditricians in the very same building. Their practice was within walking distance of the hospital and they came very highly regarded. They even had two nutritionists on staff, Dr. Simon Kelch and Dr. Amber Heard-Kelch.**

**"Between the two of them they have forty years experience," Spencer said, a look of approval on his face. Andrew had twenty-five years and Marilyn fifteen.**

**"And I like that it's a family affair. According to this sheet Simon is Andrew and Mairlyn's cousin and Amber is Simon's wife. They met when she joined the practice three years ago and were married this January," Lila added.**

**"Gubler Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Pediatrics opened twenty years ago and at first it was just Andrew and Laura. Simon joined the practice five years later and Marilyn came on board five years later with Maxwell. When they joined the practice it was renamed Gubler & Matthew-Gray Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Pediatrics, or GMGOGP."**

**"Talk about one-stop shopping," Lila commented, obviously impressed. "I also love the fact that they are open seven days a week."**

**Andrew, Laura, Marilyn, and Maxwell alternated weekends with each other, as well as other physicians from the hospital, if they happened to be out of town or needed a break. As it happened, Andrew and Laura's son Steven was a recent medical school graduate was going to officially join the practice in August. His specialty was going to be Pediatrics. The office itself was very much a family affair with various family members working as medical assistants, physician assistants, nurses and even in billing and transcribing.**

**"Yes, not to many medical offices are open on Sundays, especially Peditricians. That's certainly comforting," Spencer agreed. "I think that more than makes up for the forty-two minute drive."**

**The office was open Mondays and Fridays from seven in the morning until seven in the evening. Tuesdays and Thursdays they were open from eight until eight, and Wednesdays from ten until ten. Saturday business hours were from nine until three and Sundays were from eight until twelve.**

**"I agree," Lila said, looking over their office hours. "I love how they guarantee same day appointments for sick children, since I know I will be a neurotic first time mother."**

**"Not neurotic, loving," Spencer corrected, promptly kissing his wife. When they pulled away, Spencer eyed their alarm clock, which read 11:45.**

**"How would you feel about scheduling your first appointment now?" he asked.**

**"Now? Spencer, honey, the office is going to close in fifteen minutes and we're forty-two minutes away."**

**"No, no, love, that's not what I meant," Spencer said chuckling. "what I meant to say was, would you like to call them now and schedule your appointment for next week?"**

**"Oh, right, duh," Lila said, blushing and laughing at her blonde moment. "I think that's an excellent idea. There's no time like the present and I'm not sure how long I will have to wait for an appointment."**

**"I'm fairly certain they will find time for you," Spencer said.**

**Lila grabbed her cellphone from the nightstand and dialed the office number. A recorded message immediately started playing, telling her what extentions went to which department. She pressed the correct one and before long she was connected to an overly perky receptionist.**

**"Goodmorning, Gubler & Matthew-Gray Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Pediatrics, this is Sara speaking. How may I help you?"**

**"Goodness, Sara, that is quite a mouthful," Lila said with a chuckle. She put the phone on speaker so Spencer could hear.**

**"Ha, ha, yeah, tell me about it. I say that line so much I've started saying it in my sleep," the overly perky girl said.**

**"I can imagine," Lila replied.**

**"So what can I do for you?" Sara asked. "would you like to schedule an appointment?"**

**"Yes, please, that would be wonderful. I was wondering if you had anything available next week, Tuesday preferrably."**

**"What's wrong with Monday?" Spencer asked his wife, eager for her to begin her prenatal care as quickly as possible. In fact, he was temped to charm Sara into scheduling an appointment for his wife today, although the office was about to close.**

**"I want to go to the secretary of state and social security office tomorrow, sweetie," Lila replied. "I really want that taken care of as quickly as possible."**

**"Yes, love," Spencer replied, doing his best not to be an insane control freak, although that was a Herculean task where his wife's well being was concerned.**

**Lila smiled at him, appreciating his effort. She gently stroked his knee as Sara spoke.**

**"We certainly have available for you on Tuesday ma'am," Sara replied. "I'm assuming you're a first time patient?"**

**"That is correct," Lila replied.**

**"Will this appointment be for yourself or your little one?" Sara asked, since the physicians and nutritionists used the same scheduling system.**

**"Myself. I just found I'm pregnant, so I need to begin my prenatal care as expeditiously as possible."**

**"Of course, ma'am, and congratulations by the way. How far along are you?"**

**"Eleven days. I know that sounds early, but I had a blood test a few days ago. And please, call me Lila."**

**"Lila...Lila...that name sounds familiar. Did another physician refer you to us?" Sara asked.**

**"Yes as a matter of fact. His name is Dr. Jesson and he resides in Las Vegas. Have you heard of him?"**

**"Oh yes! He and both Dr. Gublers were friends in college! Yes, I know who are now. The front desk was told to expect your call. What time would you like to come in? We were told to squeeze you in any time. In fact, the docs gave us special permission to put you in at seven so you wouldn't have to wait. Is that fine or is that too early?"**

**"Seven is fine," Lila assured her. "should I come in earlier to fill out paperwork?"**

**"If you have a fax machine I could just send it to you. And if you want you can send me your insurance information so we can have it on file for your appointment. We'll still need to scan the cards into our system, but at least everything will be ready for your arrival."**

**"Spence, what is our fax number?" Lila asked her husband.**

**Spencer relayed it to her as well as Sara. "Excellent. I'm sending you the paperwork as we speak. So we'll see you Tuesday at 7?"**

**"Absolutely," Lila replied.**

**"Should she schedule her appointment with one of the nutritionists now or after her appointment? And which OB is she seeing?" Spencer asked. He hated to take over Lila's appointment, but he wanted to make certain everything was taken care of.**

**Thankfully Lila seemed understanding, so as of now he was free of her death glare. "Since this is her first appointment she will meet with all of the staff. Since the physicians rotate their schedules, they see each other's patients all the time, so it's important for new patients to feel comfortable with that."**

**"Oh well, that makes sense," Lila replied. "thank you for all of your help, Sara."**

**"Anytime, Lila. Have a wonderful day."**

**"Likewise."**

**Both women hung up and the conversation concluded. Lila set the phone on the nightstand and Spencer climbed out of bed.**

**"The paperwork should be here by now. Why don't you find your insurance card so we can make a copy and sent it to them?"**

**Lila nodded and climbed out of bed, walking towards her purse. She pulled out her wallet and pulled out the card, which was tucked behind her driver's license. She followed Spencer out of the bedroom and towards the living room. Sure enough, a small pile of paperwork was waiting for them in the fax machine. As Spencer pulled it out, Lila made a copy of her card and faxed it to the doctor's office.**

**"Good Lord, how many pages are there?" she asked, looking at the stack in her husband's hands.**

**"Ten," Spencer replied, hanging them to her. Being the amazingly considerate man he was, he paperclipped them together for her. He didn't staple them because he knew they needed to be scanned into her file.**

**"That's all?" Lila joked, taking the stack from him. "is there anything they didn't ask?" she asked, marveling at the detailed nature of the paperwork.**

**Part of the paperwork dealt with name, address, contact information, as well as standard questions about her insurance. There were also the customary pages that concerned her promise to pay all bills on time and assume monetary responsibility for what her insurance didn't cover, as well as the HIPPA waiver.**

**Then of course there were the questions concerning her overall health, such as ailments, lifestyle, allergies, medications, etc. Since the office treated many high risk patients they wanted to be as thouough as possible. Lila grabbed a pen and walked over to the dining room table so she could begin filling them out.**

**Spencer went to the bedroom to retrieve their dishes and washed them and tided up the kitchen. When he was finished he sat next to Lila and gently rubbed her back as she answered all questions and signed where necessary. Despite the amount of paperwork and detailed nature of the questions, Lila was able to complete the task in thirty minutes. **

**When she was finally finished, she set the stack to the side and got up to put the pen back in its correct place, as well as return her insurance card to her wallet. Spencer followed his wife into the bedroom and watched her open her wallet. After making certain her insurance card was safe and sound, she returned her wallet to her purse.**

**"What would you like to do today?" Spencer asked her, walking over and pulling her close.**

**"Well," Lila said, running her hand along his bare chest. "I was thinking we could go out. It's been years since I've been in D.C., so I would like to look around. Maybe we could even find the office so we don't get lost Tuesday."**

**"Of course, love," Spencer replied, although getting lost wasn't something he needed to worry about.**

**"You are so adorable when you are agreeable," Lila replied, kissing him on the lips.**

**"Well, don't get used to it," he teased, his hands lowering to cup her bottom.**

**Lila nipped his lips and Spencer pulled back, laughing and wincing. Lila pulled him back to her and kissed him again. Before they became too heated and cast their nonsexual plans to the wind, they pulled apart and decided to get dressed. They decided to dress casually, so Spencer threw on jeans, a tan and white short sleeved checkered shirt, and gray sweatshirt. As he sat on the bed to put on his shoes and socks, he watched his sexy wife.**

**She was wearing slim fitting jeans and a champagne colored push up bra that made him, well, push up. She threw on a black blue floral tank top before walking into the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. After throwing her golden locks into a ponytail, she walked back into the bedroom and pulled out a pair of black slip ons. She also grabbed a black hoodie, which she tied around her slender waist.**

**"Are you ready?" Lila asked Spencer as she picked up her purse.**

**"Absolutely," he replied, walking over to her. He eyed her appreciatively and pulled her close.**

**"When was the last time I told you how beautiful you are?"**

**"Only every moment of everyday," she replied, giggling as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.**

**"Well, it's true," he replied, kissing her.**

**"You're are amazingly sexy in your own right as well."**

**Spencer simply blushed and they kissed again before walking out of their apartment hand-in-hand, ready for their next adventure.**


	14. Chapter 14Fun Times and Love Swats

**Chapter Fourteen-Fun Times and Love Swats**

**"We are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun."~ William Glasser**

**It was a short time later and the lovebirds were roadbound. The first item on their to-do list was to locate the doctor's office. It was a mere fifteen minutes away so even the most directionary challenged person would have been able to find it. The building was gorgeous and landscaping was impeccible. Even the parking lot glistened, which was pretty amazing.**

**They were now driving around in search of something to do. Neither one particularly wanted to see a movie and Lila wasn't ready for lunch. They drove around for a while until they stumbled upon an activity that was absolutely perfect. Lila looked over at Spencer, inspiration in her eyes.**

**"What do you think, babe?" she asked.**

**"We can go here if you want. I haven't been to one of these in years, so it should be fun."**

**Lila grinned and Spencer drove into the entrance of the event. He followed the instructions of the parking attendents and found an empty parking space. For Lila's sake he had hoped to find one closer to the entrance, but it wasn't too far off. After shutting off the car, Lila opened her purse and pulled out her sunglasses. Spencer opened the dashboard and found his as well.**

**"Lila, I could hold onto your wallet if you'd like, so you don't have to carry your purse," Spencer offered. Her jeans were too slim to allow room for the object and her sweatshirt pockets were too shallow.**

**"Thank you. I think I will take you up on that offer, babe, if you're certain carrying a woman's wallet won't make you feel less masculine," she teased, knowing how men felt about carrying their wive's belongings.**

**"Love, if I can carry around what has been defined as a 'man purse' on a daily basis, I can carry your wallet in my pocket."**

**Lila laughed and they unbuckled their seatbelts. Spencer climbed out of the car and walked around to Lila's side, opening her door. He offered her his hand and she accepted, climbing out of the car. Spencer shut the door and removed his sweatshirt, since it was rather warm outside. He tied it around his waist and they walked towards their destination hand-in-hand.**

**"I can't wait until next year when we can taken Little Spence to places like this," Lila said, looking at Big Spence adoringly, squeezing his hand.**

**"What are my chances of pursuing you to use another name?" Spencer asked.**

**"About the same as convincing me our baby isn't a boy. Are you having a change of heart?"**

**"Not a chance," Spencer replied. He gently squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips. "I tend to base my opinions on statistics and statistics show I am always right," he added, kissing his wife's hand.**

**"Even geniuses are off base once or twice," Lila said, blushing as always when he kissed her that way.**

**Spencer wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her as they continued walking. Their activity of choice was a carnival, which was stationed in Arlington. Not only was there a plethora of rides, games, and food stands, but there were other activity stands for their amusement as well. They walked from station to station hand-in-hand not even letting the breeze pass between them. One of the stands they came across was one pertaining to arts and crafts.**

**There were tables set out with various homemade goods and in the corner they saw an elderly woman giving a lesson on knitting. Spencer and Lila surveyed the merchandise and Lila picked up a quilt. It was various shades of blue and it was absolutely beautiful. She gently fingered the object, reminded of the quilts her grandmother made her. One was knitted, made in varying shades of pink. The other was patch work and had a floral, buttery motif.**

**"That one is nice," Spencer said, looking at the quilt with approval.**

**"These quilts remind me of the ones my Grandmother made me. She was always so crafty-making quilts and blankets, and even clothes. She actually made my christening gown."**

**"That's so sweet. Did she pass her craftiness on to you?"**

**Lila nodded, holding the quilt in her arms. "I could never match her talent as far as knitting and crocheting are concerned, but I was quite good at scrapbooking. I have dozens and dozens of scrapbooks, which you'll see once I start unpacking."**

**"I can't wait," Spencer replied, wrapping his arm around Lila's waist. He loved the prospect of getting to know his wife even better.**

**"Maybe we can make a scrapbook of our own," he added.**

**"I'd like that. I haven't done anything crafty in years."**

**Lila fingered her new find, pondering for a moment. "Perhaps it's time to revisit my knitting days. I would like to continue that tradition with our own children."**

**"That's a lovely idea," Spencer replied. "and now is as good of a time as any," he added, gesturing towards the knitting kits being sold.**

**Charming whicker baskets were placed on one of the tables, along with various colors of yarn, knitting and crocheting needles, and whatever else a budding or veteran craftsperson might need. Lila considered herself to be in the intermediate department. She picked up one of the baskets and after choosing knitting and crocheting needed, began loading up on yarn. Lila chose various shades of blues, as well as yellows, greens, grays, and whites. She was thrilled at the prospect of making a quilt for her son, a treasured heirloom that he would hopefully pass onto his own child.**

**Her cheeks turned rosey at the thought of her home filled with Little Spencers. Her own Spencer was so amazing that she felt it was unfair to the rest of the world to deprive him of his wonderfulness. As she placed a large ball of gray yarn into her basket, she looked over at her husband to see what he was up to. Just when she thought she couldn't love her husband anymore, he did something to make her heart swell that much more.**

**He had chosen a basket of his own and was filling it with his own choices. She bit her bottom lip, trying to hold back her laughter as she assessed his choice in yarn colors. While her colors were decidedly male, his were obviously female. Various pinks and purples filled his basket, along with white and yellows. Lila just stared at her husband, allowing the love and awe to sweep over her. It didn't take him long to sense her gaze upon him, so he looked up, blushing slightly.**

**"I thought it might be nice to share this with you," he said, blushing slightly, aware of the fact that knitting wasn't exactly the most masculine of activities.**

**"I love you so much and I want to be privy to every aspect of your life. Besides," he added, looking so adorably red-faced. "I think it would be nice to make something for my daughter."**

**Lila pulled him close and planted a long, deep kiss on his lips. When she finally pulled away, she gently stroked his cheek with her fingers.**

**"Not only are you the most amazing husband in the world, but you are also the most wonderful father in the world. Our baby is so lucky to have you."**

**"Us," Spencer said, kissing her again. "Little Lila couldn't ask for a more loving, nurturing mother. I hope she's just like you."**

**"I'll see what I can do about that if you promise to make sure Spence Jr is exactly like you," Lila said, resting her hand on her tummy.**

**"We really are a pair aren't we," Spencer said, chuckling as they completed their baskets and walked towards the check out area.**

**On the way, he plucked up another homemade blanket, this one a soft French Vanilla color with pale pink trim. A sweet pattern of pastel butterflies, birds, and flowers graced the middle. He decided it was perfect for their daughter, so he snatched it up, placing it with the rest of their items.**

**"Yes we certainly are," Lila said, shaking her head at her husband's latest find.**

**A second elderly woman approached them and rang up their purchases. She wrapped the blankets in tissue paper and placed them in a brown handled bag. She wrapped up the baskets as well so the items wouldn't fall out and placed them in a second bag. She announced their total and Spencer pulled out his wallet so he could pay her. He told her to keep the change and they left the tent. Spencer was carrying both bags in one hand and holding Lila's hand with the other. All of a sudden she looked at him, giggling.**

**"What is so funny?" he asked, the sound of his wife's laughter music to his ears.**

**"Admit it, Spence, the reason you wanted to hold onto my wallet was so I couldn't spend any of my own money," she said, amusement dancing in her eyes.**

**"No, that's not true at all, Lila! It's just that your wallet won't fit in your pocket and..."**

**"Spencer, honey, relax, I was joking...well, for the most part," Lila said, laughing at her befuddled husband.**

**"That wasn't very nice," Spencer said, sticking his bottom lip out in a gorgeous pout.**

**"Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt my sexy husband's feelings?" Lila cooed. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled him close for another kiss.**

**"Is that better?" she asked.**

**"For the most part," he said, his own eyes glimmering.**

**Lila's gave his bottom a playful swat and Spencer jumped back, laughing. He pulled her close and planted a light swat on hers as well. Once they were finished with their loving assault, they walked towards the fair entrance, hand-in-hand.**


	15. Chapter 15Fun at the Fair

**Chapter Fifteen-Fun at the Fair**

**"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own."~ Robert Heinlein**

**Spencer and Lila entered the fair grounds, taking in the sights and sounds around them. Their senses were immediately overwhelmed by the lights coming from the rides and games. Toys and prizes of different shapes and colors were on overloaded display and the aroma of various carnival fare drifted through the air. Spencer and Lila looked around, considering their options.**

**"What would you like to do first?" Spencer asked.**

**"Well, I suppose rides are out of the question," Lila replied.**

**"Yes, until the duration of your pregnancy," Spencer replied, hoping Lila wouldn't become angry and think was behaving in a controlling manner.**

**"Do the Ferris Wheel and Merry-Go-Round count?" she asked.**

**Spencer nodded. "According to the American Pregnancy Organization, amusement park rides are off-limits to pregnant women due to the rapid starts and stops, jarring forces, and the pressures against the body that occur during rides. The rigorous activity creates additional jarring forces within the uterus that may lead to premature separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus, which is known as placental abruption."**

**"Why do I even need an ob-gyn when I have you?" Lila asked, marveling at her husband's astounding intellect.**

**Spencer blushed, an embarassed giggle escaping his lips. "I'm sorry if I sound a tad...heavy-handed, but I just want what's best for you and our baby. If its any consolation, we can ride all the rides you want after Little Lila is born."**

**"I'm actually more a game person myself," Lila replied, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her husband's cheek, wanting to assure him she wasn't angry.**

**"Really?" Spencer asked, relieved that his wife wasn't thinking he was an irrational control freak.**

**"Absolutely. Ash has always been the ride lover, not me. I have never been a lover of sudden, jolting movements and I'm terrified of heights. Ash has cajoled me on rides on occassion, but I prefer to have my feet planted firmly on the ground."**

**"Except of course for when you are cleaning our cabinets," Spencer teased.**

**"Believe me when I say that sifting through the contents of your kitchen an living to tell about it is all the excitement I need."**

**Spencer laughed and they walked over to a refreshment stand. As they waited in line, they read the menu and considered their options.**

**"What sounds good to you?" Spencer asked.**

**"You tied to our bed naked as I have my way with you...**_**ohhh**_**, you meant **_**food**_**!" Lila said, giving herself a playful slap on the forehead.**

**"Yes, love, I did," Spencer said, laughing at his wife's ravenous appetite.**

**"Hmm...well, elephant ears and lemonade sound pretty good," she said after careful deliberation.**

**"Yes they do," Spencer agreed. When it was their turn to order, Spencer ordered elephant ears and lemonade for them both. He paid and took the treats, handing one of each to Lila. She thanked him and took a bite of her fried treat.**

**"Aren't these the best?" Lila said in between bites.**

**"Elephant ears, also known as fried dough, beaver tails, whales tails, tiger ears, pizza frita, frying saucers, bunuelos, and dougboys, are a North American food associated with outdoor food stands in carnivals, amusement parks, fairs, rodeos, and seaside resorts. Fried dough is made by deep-frying a portion of risen yeast dough. The dough aquires an irregular, bubbly appearance from being fried. The dough ay then be sprinkled with a variety of toppings, such as granulated sugar, powered sugar, cinnamon, fruit sauce, chocolate sauce, cheese, maple syrup, whipped cream, tomato sauce, garlic butter, lemon juice, honey, butter, or a combination of these.**

**An Italian variant common in North America is zeppole. Zeppole, or St. Joseph's Day cake, also called sfinge, and in Rome Bigne di S. Giuseppe, is a pastry typical of Roman, Neapolitan, and generally peninsular Italian cuisine. The are also served in Sicily and on the island of Malta. They are traditionally consumed on La Festa di San Giuseppe, St. Joseph's Day, which falls on March nineteenth. In Rome, Naples, and Sicily, these little pastries are sold on many streets and are sometimes gifts on this day. They are also common in Italian communities in the United States.**

**In Canada, pieces of fried dough are called Beaver tails. According to Bill Castleman, a writer of books on Canadian word origins, the name referred to quick-baked dough 'especially in early 19th-century places where people might camp for one night and where there was no frying pan.' Some sources identify beaver tails as a local specialty in Ottawa, where they are associated especially with the city's Winterlude festival, although beaver tails can be purchased in many other Canadian cities as well. **_**Beavertails **_**is the name of a chain of restaurants specializing in the item, founded in Ottawa in 1978."**

**Spencer paused and looked at Lila, who was gazing at him in rapt attention. He wasn't used to uninterrupted rambling, so he didn't know what to make of his wife's silence.**

**"I hope I'm not boring you," he said, blushing slightly. "I know at times I can be a tad long-winded..."**

**"Not at all, babe. I love listening to you talk. Not only are you utterly fascinating, but thanks to you I can finish my crosswords faster. It's going to be so nice to take away Ashley's self-proclaimed title of crossword queen."**

**"Ashley is the queen of crosswords?" Spencer asked, looking amazed. Between the two sisters, he would have given that title to his wife.**

**"You should see her: it's as if she's been transported to another world when she has one of them in front of her. I know I'm not stupid, but I cannot help but feel less than scholarly when she completes two crosswords and I'm still half way through one."**

**"Ashley, crossword puzzle extradinare, who would have known?" Spencer said, still shocked by this revelation.**

**"Ashley is much smarter than she lets on; she just thinks it's more fun to act crazy."**

**Spencer simply nodded and Lila threaded her fingers through his. "Now that I've answered your question, will you please continue to ramble?"**

**"Name the topic and I will ramble to your heart's content," Spencer replied, thrilled that he finally had someone in his life that found his extensive knowledge about the non consequential fascinating.**

**"Well," Lila began, considering her options before speaking. "since you have already educated me on all things fried, why don't you enlighten me on the goodness that is lemonade."**

**"As you wish," Spencer said, laughing before launching into his monologue.**

**Spencer explained the origin of the word, as well as the three different catagories of the beverage. He was regaling her with facts about pink lemonade when they happened upon a carnival game. It was a shooting game and Lila eyed it with interest. Although she could shoot hoops and throw darts, weaponary skills continued to elude her. Spencer noticed her interest and spoke.**

**"I'm gathering you don't handle weapons very much," he said.**

**"I don't need to now that I have a big, strong, sexy FBI agent to take care of me," Lila said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a lemony kiss.**

**"Hmm, I don't think I like Derek being in such close proximity to my wife..."**

**Lila made a face and gave him a swat in the abdomen, making him giggle. The sudden movement caused him to drop his goodies on the ground.**

**"I'm assuming the five second rule doesn't apply at the carnival," Spencer replied, knowing his wife would slap him even harder if he even thought about eating food off the ground.**

**"It doesn't apply anywhere, not while you're married to me anyway, Lila replied, handing Spencer her treats so she could bend down and pick up the mess.**

**She threw the spoiled items into a nearby garbage can and applied hand sanitizer to her hands from a nearby dispenser. Spencer tried to give her treats back to her, but she demurred.**

**"That's alright, babe, you can have them. It's only fair."**

**"No honey, it's okay, you may have them. I was almost finished with my snack and besides, I don't want to take food away from the baby."**

**"Our baby is smaller than a penny right now so trust me, he has had more than enough," Lila insisted, breaking off a piece of elephant ear and sticking it in his mouth.**

**"And no arguing with your wife," she added, gently patting his butt.**

**"Yes ma'am," Spencer said, giggling in between bites of the fried treat.**

**When he finished, he silently accepted Lila's offer of lemonade. As he took a sip Lila continued speaking.**

**"To answer your question, Spence, I'm not much of a markswoman. The only time I have ever really handled a firearm was at the carnival and I haven't been to one in years. Ash, on the other hand, is amazing. She goes to the shooting range on a weekly basis and is quite good. If someone ever broke into her apartment, I think I would actually feel sorry for that person."**

**"You could become good at it too, love, if you practice. Would you like to learn how to fire a gun?"**

**"If you are going to be my instructor, then the answer is yes."**

**"Excellent, let's start now," Spencer said, leading her to the game and handing money to the carnie.**

**"Alright love, I want you to go first so I can assess your abilities," he replied, sounding very much like the sexy shooting instructor.**

**"Yes sir," Lila replied, lifting up the gun and firing.**

**Needless to say there were no bullets in the firearm: it was lazer operated. She aimed at the paper and starting shooting and well, at least she hit the paper. The objective was to shoot around the animated person without actually hitting it. If the shooter shot around it, the section of paper with the person would fall out. Lila managed to hit the title "Shooting Target", maligning the T in shooting and grazing the bottom portion of the G in target. She also managed to chip away the lower left hand corner and that was basically it. She looked over at Spencer, her cheeks slightly rosey.**

**"Like I said, I'm not much of a markswoman," Lila said.**

**"Well, here, love, let me show you," he said, removing the gun from her hands and waiting for the carnie to put up a new target.**

**Once everything was in place, Spencer aimed and showed off his prowess to his wife. Although he hadn't been much of a gunsman when he first entered the BAU, time and practive had helped him hone his skills. Within seconds, the little animated man was no more and Spencer set down the gun. The carnie handed Spencer his target and gestured to the prizes hanging above their heads.**

**"Take your pick," he said.**

**"Do you see anything you like?" Spencer asked Lila.**

**Lila very much saw something she liked, but she knew her husband and the carnie were referring to the array of stuffed animals. She considered her options before deciding upon a blue teddy bear. The carnie took the toy down and handed it to her.**

**"Alright, love, I want you to try again and this time I'll walk you through it," Spencer said.**

**Lila picked up the gun and Spencer positioned himself behind her, placing her hands over his.**

**"Don't aim at the person, aim around him. When you shoot around him and your shots are aligned, he'll fall out. If you shoot directly at him, that'll cause the paper to become off balance and you won't be able to hit anything."**

**Lila nodded and allowed Spencer to guide her hands as the gun went off. Under Spencer's tutelage, Lila did much better and actually hit more than the letters or corners of the paper. The center of the paper fell out and Spencer kissed her on the forehead.**

**"That was much better, babe," he said. "you really showed that animated person who was boss."**

**"It was mostly you who showed him who was boss, but that was still fun. You are an excellent teacher."**

**"And you are a wonderful student," Spencer said, hanging the gun back to Lila.**

**"What would you like this time?" the carnie asked, since they had just won a second time.**

**"Why don't you choose this time?" Lila said to Spencer.**

**Spencer gestured to a pink teddy bear and the man handed it to him. Lila aimed the gun at the target and started shooting. She was expecting to completely miss again, but to her delight she did not. It wasn't long until the target was history. She set down the gun, a huge smile spread across her face. She threw her arms around Spencer and kissed him.**

**"I actually did it! I completely annihilated that target!" she said, looking so adorably proud of herself, almost childlike in her total joy in her accomplishment.**

**"I knew you could do it," Spencer said, holding her close and kissing her on the forehead.**

**Spencer and Lila looked at the array of toys and decided on two pink and white teddy bears hugging with a red heart between them. The carnie handed Lila her toy and they thanked him before walking off. They spent the day playing various games, sampling carnival food, and of course, basking in each other's company.**


	16. Chapter 16Pancakes and Booty Spanks

**Chapter Sixteen-Pancakes and Booty Spanks**

**"Let's get it on!"~ Marvin Gaye**

**It was early the next morning when Spencer woke up. He rolled over, letting his hand fall onto Lila's side of the bed. It fell flat onto the mattress and Spencer quickly released his wife was no longer in bed. His eyes opened instantly, needing to know her whereabouts asap. It was at that moment the scent of blueberry pancakes wafted into room and filled his nostrils.**

**Spencer smiled, relieved that his wife was safe and that she was making breakfast. He rubbed his eyes and stretched, knowing just how lucky he was. He looked over at the alarm clock and saw that it was just after seven. Spencer climbed out of bed and quickly made it, ready to see his wife and have a pre-breakfast snack. He walked down the hall towards the kitchen, still nude from the night before.**

**He stood in the doorway, watching Lila transfer freshly made pancakes onto a plate before adding more batter to the griddle. She looked incredible sexy in one of his t-shirts and most likely nothing else. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was humming softly to herself. She happily lost in her own little world, so Spencer's arms sround her waist were a welcome surprise.**

**"Goodmorning Mrs. Reid," he murmured in her ear, kissing her cheek.**

**"After this morning it will really be official," she replied. "I never thought I would say this, but I'm actually looking forward to going to the DMV."**

**"I have all of your necessary paperwork in my satchel," Spencer said with a chuckle. "I packed it while you were in the shower last night."**

**"Thank you, sweetie, that was very thoughtful of you," Lila replied, kissing her wonderful husband on the lips.**

**"Just think," she continued. "after this I still have to apply for a new social security card, passport, checks, credit cards car registration, voter registration, and Lord knows what else..."**

**"You don't have to change your name if you don't want to," Spencer assured his wife, kissing her shoulder. "I can imagine how inconvenient this must be for you, so if it's too much..."**

**"Spencer, honey," Lila said, placing the remaining pancakes on the plate before turning off the stove and setting the skillet onto the cool burners using oven mitts.**

**"there is nothing I want more than to be Mrs. Spencer Reid," she replied, kissing him on the lips.**

**"Good," Spencer replied, returning her kiss.**

**Although he wouldn't force the issue upon her, he was really hoping she would feel this way. Feeling inspired, Spencer turned her around and bent her over the sink. He spread her legs so they were shoulder length apart and ran his hands up her smooth legs. He was pleased, if not surprised, to find her panty and braless.**

**"Spence," Lila said, giggling and moaning at the same time.**

**"Yes?" he said, removing his shirt from her body. "You look so sexy in my clothes, by the way."**

**"Thank you," Lila said, moaning as his fingers found their way into her womanhood.**

**"You are ravenous. We just made love seven hours ago..." she said in between moans.**

**"Do you want me to stop?" Spencer asked, already knowing the answer as he felt her orgasm was eminent.**

**"Not if you want reid to remain intact," Lila said.**

**She turned around and pulled down his boxers. He kicked them to the side and Lila wrapped her hand around his arousal. Their hands moved in unison, bringing each other close to the end. As always, Lila was the first to climax. She cried out, leaning against the cupboards for support as she rode the wave of her pleasure.**

**Spencer knelt before her, resting her legs over his shoulders as his mouth and tongue went to work. Lila gasped as he sucked her clit into his mouth, flicking it with his tongue. She tightly gripped his head and arched her hips, wanting more of him. Spencer obliged, inserting his index and middle deep inside of her. It wasn't long until he was flooded with her juices and he longed to fill her with his largeness.**

**He kissed his way up her body and turned her around again, positioning her against counter. She gripped it and spread her legs, moving her ass slightly upward. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes heavy with desire as she watched Spencer position himself behind her. He wrapped his hand around her ponytail and gave it a gentle tug. Lila moaned in surprise, the anticipation building.**

**"Are you ready for me?" he asked, whispering hotly in her ear, giving her lobe a gentle nip.**

**"What do you think?" Lila asked, moaning in desire, needing him desparately. She rubbed her buttocks against his arousal, aching for him to fill her.**

**"I think that is one hot ass," Spencer said, taking Lila aback by his explative, but arousing her nontheless.**

**Spencer knelt before her, running his hands along the small, firm cheeks of her derriere. He kissed each of them, running his tongue along the soft skin. Lila let out a cry as he sucked the flesh of one cheek into his mouth, nipping it with his razer sharp teeth. He kissed and soothed the delicious sting with his warm, wet tongue. He moved his attention to the other cheek, letting one hand man wander upward to fondle her breasts.**

**"Oh God, Spencer, please...I...I..."**

**"I know, love, I know," Spencer assured her. "but remember my sweet, patience is a virtue."**

**"I'm not feeling very virtuous at the moment," Lila said, crying out as his fingers disappeared inside her again.**

**"Yes, fleur, I can tell," Spencer said, chuckling. "you're a naughty girl, aren't you?"**

**"Yes, oh God, yes," Lila whimpered. "but just for you...only you..."**

**Spencer grinned and he let his fingers explore her innermost womanhood. He started with just his index and middle finger, letting his thumb manipulate her clit. It wasn't long until all of his fingers and thumb were inside her, giving her a rush of electric pleasure she had never felt before. She tightly gripped the counting, screaming loudly as she came over and over again. As Spencer continued manipulating her womanhood, he moved his mouth to her other entrance.**

**He gently kissed the area surrounding it, tracing his tongue around her. After a final kiss, he allowed his tongue to enter her. Lila squeeled and Spencer grinned, squeezing her breasts with his hand as he used his other to make her faint with euphoria. His tongue explored her for a while until he was ready for her. He removed it and rose to his feet.**

**He gripped her hip with his hand as he slowly filled her anus with his erection. He continued tugging on her ponytail and leaned forward, tracing her neck with his tongue, biting it.**

**"Do you like that, love? Is this what you wanted? Did you want me inside you?" he murmured again, continuing to bite her.**

**"Uh...uh...yesss..." Lila said, blurry eyed from the different sensations zigzagging through her body.**

**"You...are...so...tight. You feel amazing," Spencer said, gritting his teeth as he fought back orgasm.**

**"So do you. You are so...sooo...amorous," she moaned, as yet another wave of pleasure swept over her.**

**"Just for you," Spencer said, continuing to thrust inside of her.**

**Adding to her pleasure, he punctuated every few thrusts with a firm smack to her ass. Lila cried out and reached around to grab his ass, pulling him closer to her. Their bodies moved in unison and Lila cupped his balls with one hand, massaging him to orgasm. She also turned her head to kiss and nip his neck, sucking on his Adam's apple. Spencer let out a shudder and the world shut down around him as he surrendered to his needs.**

**Spencer shattered deep inside of her, crying out loudly as his hand gripped her ponytail. He pulled it hard, causing Lila's head to fall into the crook of his shoulder. He moved his mouth to her neck, clamping down as he released not once but twice. The feeling of his sharp teeth against her sensitive skin drove her absolutely wild. She came one last time and slumped against Spencer, her energy spent.**

**Spencer wrapped his arms around her and leaned against the counter, trying to hold them both upright. He removed his satiated hand from her ass and her hand from her womanhood, a satisfied smile on his face. Lila rested her head in the crook of his neck, her head spinning as she waited to come back to earth. When she was finally able to form a coherent sentence, she looked at her sex god husband with wide eyed admiration.**

**"I'm taking that as a sign you enjoyed yourself," Spencer said, chuckling softly as he let his finger trace her jaw.**

**"Let's just say the kitchen is my new favorite room," she said, giving her husband a wink.**


	17. Chapter 17Mrs Spencer Asimov Reid

Chapter Seventeen-Mrs. Spencer Asimov Reid

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction."~ Winston Churchill

It was shortly after nine o'clock when Spencer and Lila finally decided to leave their apartment. After their steamy romp in the kitchen, they reheated the pancakes and ate quickly before getting dressed. Lila was wearing a silver, silk, sleeveless top trimmed with matted beads and glistening prong-set jewels. She paired the top with white linen capris and metalic sandals. She wore her hair loose, parted to the left as always.

She kept her makeup minimal and wore a hair tie around her wrist, in case she wanted to throw it up. She rested her hand on Spencer's leg and smiled at him, her body still humming from their earlier activities. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. She beamed and took in just how sexy he looked. He was wearing khakis, a button down short sleeved shirt, and tennis shoes.

Sunglasses completed the look and Lila found him absolutely delectible. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, gently stroking his face with her free hand. Spencer wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple, all while doing his best to focus on the road. Their apartment was only a few minutes away from the DMV, so they didn't have far to go.

"It's almost official. I'm this close to being Lila Reid," she said, holding up her thumb and index finger so only a milimiter or so of room was between them.

"I can't imagine anything sounding any more beautiful," Spencer said, kissing her hand again.

"I can-Spencer Asimov Reid Jr," she said, looking starry eyed.

Spencer simply giggled and continued kissing her hand, his eyes focusing on the road. "You do realize there are other names to choose from, right?"

"I think I am as cognizant of baby names as you," she replied, giving him a knowing smile. "are you really serious about naming our baby Lila if it's a girl?"

"I'm as serious as you are about naming our child Spencer if it's a boy."

"What are we going to do when we have more children? We can't have Spencer I, Spencer II, Lila I, Lila II-we'll be as bad as George Foreman."

"Who is George Foreman? Is he a friend of yours?" Spencer asked, frowning since he couldn't place when he had met such a person.

Lila burst out laughing, finding her husband's lack of popular culture knowledge both hilarious and sexy. Spencer blushed, feeling a tad foolish. Lila took pity on him and explained who George Foreman was. They both shared a laugh and it wasn't long until Spencer was pulling into the parking lot of the DMV. He parked the car and after opening the door for Lila, they walked inside hand-in-hand.

Lila took a number and they walked over to the seating area. Lila was expecting a mass of people, but to her surprise the DMV wasn't terribly crowded. As she waited, Spencer opened his satchel and pulled out her paperwork for the social security office.

"What do you have in there?" Lila asked, curious about the contents of her husband's man purse.

"My satchel? Just a few note books, a novel. Nothing too terribly exciting," Spencer said.

"May I see?" Lila asked, her curiousity taking over.

"Why is my satchel of such primse interest for you?" he asked.

"Everything about you interests me. And if you let me look inside your man purse, you can look inside my womanly one."

"_Satchel_," Spencer corrected, ordinarily hating when people called his bag a purse, but finding it amusing when Lila did.

"besides," Spencer added, a mischevious smiled on his face. "I have already seen your womanly purse."

Lila blushed and Spencer laughed. They exchanged bags and opened them simultaneously. Spencer inspected the contents of her bag and didn't find anything too exciting. There was makeup, her wallet, blackberry, a compact mirror, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and thankfully no razer. He smiled when he noticed her glittering pink digital camera.

That object probably made even more appearances on their vacation together than reid. He took it out of her purse and held it up. Lila looked up and burst out laughing as he aimed it in her direction.

"Spence, I think my camera needs a rest," she said, laughing even more as Spencer snapped away.

"Nonsense love; this is a momentous occassion and we need to treat it as such," he said.

"As you wish," Lila replied, sighing dramatically as she struck a pose for her husband.

After snapping a few more pictures, Spencer took her by the hand and led her outside. They each took more photos and even requested a passerby to take a few of them togther. A few minutes later they walked back into the DMV and reclaimed their seats.

Lila opened Spencer's man purse, eager to discover its contents. Spencer watched her intently, wanting to gage her reaction. This was the first time he had ever let someone look through his satchel and he wanted to hear what she thought. Lila looked inside and found notebooks and a novel, just as he said she would. She also found packages of animal crackers, fruit roll ups, graham crackers, granola bars, and chewing gum.

She also found a small carrier that concealed his eye glasses, as well as some extra pens. What caught her eye the most was a small photo album. She opened it and found various pictures of Spencer with his mother and ones of just Diana. Towards the end she found pictures of her and Spencer together. They were from when they first met and Spencer had had them lamenated so they would last longer.

A soft smile crept upon her face as she neared the end of the album. There were more clippings, but these were more recent. She looked up at Spencer, whose face was adorable shade of red.

"I told you I thought a lot about you over the years," he said, hoping she wouldn't find him strange for carrying her picture with him all these years.

"Yes, I can see that," Lila replied, closing his album and placing it back in his satchel.

As if reading her husband's mind, Lila reached into her own purse and pulled out her wallet. She opened it and pulled something out of one of the snug holders. To his amazement, it was a lamenated magazine picture of her own.

"We really are a pair aren't we?" Spencer said, grinning at her.

"We certainly are," Lila agreed, kissing him on the lips.

"Number fifty!" one of the women behind the counter called.

"That's us," Lila replied, standing up.

Spencer responded in kind and they approached the counter. The woman asked Lila what she needed and Lila told her. Spencer handed her the necessary documentation and within minutes their mission was completed. Not only did Lila change her name, but she also changed her voter registration and they both changed their address. They both had their pictures taken for their new driver's license and the woman placed a change of address sticker on their old one until their new one came in the mail.

Once their business was completed, Spencer and Lila thanked the woman for her help and exited the building. On their way out, Lila dropped her application for a new social security card in the mailbox. Ever thoughtful Spencer had made certain to include a stamped envelope, so all Lila had to do was place the paperwork inside and seal the envelope shut. They had more pictures taken before walking back to the car. They walked over to the passenger side and Lila pulled him close for a kiss.

"It's official, babe, I'm Mrs. Spencer Asimov Reid," she said before joining her lips with his.

"Dr. and Mrs. Reid-I love the sound of that," Spencer said, kissing her again.

"I love being married to a sexy doctor."

Spencer laughed and helped his wife into the car. After he climbed in, they drove to the post office, where they changed their address and Lila filled out an application for a new passport. In between stops, Lila called her bank to order new checks and also ordered new credit cards. Lila still didn't a new car yet, so she didn't have to worry about car registration and insurance yet. After their final stop they climbed back in the car and Spencer started driving again.

"Are you hungry, love?" he asked. "I was thinking we could go out for a celebratory lunch."

"I think that sounds wonderful," Lila said.

Although she wasn't hungry, she loved the idea of spending time with Spencer. Besides, she also knew her baby needed nurishment and it had been a few hours since she had last eaten. Spencer brought her hand up to his lips for a kiss and she rested her head on his shoulder. Spencer wrapped his arm around her and she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep as Spencer drove them to their next destination.


	18. Chapter 18The Palm and Paparazzi

Chapter Eighteen-The Palm and Paparazzi

"Media is a word that has come to mean bad journalism."~ Graham Greene

It was a few minutes later when Spencer was pulling his car into the restaurant parking lot. He asked Lila where she wanted to go for lunch and she chose Palm Restaurant. The Palm is a classic American steakhouse known for its steaks, jumbo Novia Scotia lobsters, premium fish, and Italian dishes. The Palm was founded in 1926 by Italian immigrants John Ganzi and Pio Bozzi. Its first location was opened in New York City and now there were locations throughout the country.

The Palm had an elegant, yet familial feels with its dark wood booths, hard wood floors, and fun caricatures on the wall. Spencer and Lila were led to one of the booths and they slid onto the sat side. Spencer wrapped his arm around Lila and kissed her. Lila's mouth moved insync with his and rested a hand on his cheek. The maitre de discretely left their menus on the table and walked away.

After a few more minutes, the love birds pulled away, looking into each other's starry eyes. They gave each other another kiss and rubbed noses before pulling apart. Spencer reached into Lila's purse and pulled out her camera. He aimed it at her and she posed happily, mugging for the camera.

"How does it feel to have your first meal officially being Mrs. Reid?" he asked, snapping away.

"Absolutely amazing," Lila replied, taking the camera from him and snapping photos of him as well.

Spencer pulled her towards them and she aimed the camera so she could take close ups of them together. When they were finally satisfied, Lila shut the camera off and placed it back in her purse. They both stretched out their legs so they were resting their feet on the bench across from them. Lila promptly kicked off her sandals and rubbed one of her feet against his leg. Spencer moaned, his arousal growing.

Lila gave him a knowing smile, kissing his cheek. Then she picked up her menu and began viewing her options, pretending not to notice the enormous bulge in her husband's pants or the "I want to fuck you" look in his honey colored eyes.

"That isn't very nice, teasing your husband like that," Spencer said, his voice thick with arousal.

"Don't worry my sexy, insatiable agent, I have every intention of following through with my overtures when we go home."

"Check please!" Spencer exclaimed, looking frantically for the waitor they had yet to meet.

"Spencer!" Lila exclaimed, her cheeks turning red as she giggled. "we haven't even ordered yet!"

"All I want is right here in front of me," Spencer replied, resting his hand on her leg.

"I feel the same way about you babe, but that doesn't change the fact that I need to nurish our baby with actual sustinence."

"Point taken," Spencer replied, proud of Lila's efforts to conquer her demons so she could nurish their child.

Lila looked at the menu, trying to make a decision. Mealtime was always difficult for her because as soon as she placed the food in her mouth she was desparate to purge it from her body. She knew that was no longer an option for her, due to her pregnancy. She loved her baby too much to endanger his life for her own selfish needs. Still, trying to overcome desires she'd had for most of her life was easier said than done.

Spencer reached over and gently stroked her leg, giving her silent support. He understood how difficult this was for her and wanted to be there for her every step of the way. He was relieved that her doctor's appointment was tomorrow and she would receive professional help on her road to recovery.

"Have you been here before?" he asked her, wanting to take her mind off of her inner struggles.

"A few times," Lila said, setting down her menu. "Deb sometimes brought us here on our weekend trips to D.C."

"I have never been here before. What do you recommend?"

"The lobster bisque is wonderful, as well as the Hearts of Palm Salad. I'm also partial to the wild mushrooms, asparagus, and three cheese potatoes," Lila said, looking at the starters and sides section of the menu. She also loved the leafy and creamed spinach, but she knew better than to mention those to Spencer.

"The shrimp is delicious as well. Ashley is mad for the shrimp bruno and jumbo shrimp cocktail; she orders them everytime she's here."

Lila giggled as a common childhood memory came to her. "She also loves the Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobster and whenever she orders that, she'll pick the lobster off of her plate and make it dance. She'll manuver a knife between its claws and move it around like a can can dancer. And then of course there are the times she has to re-enact "under the sea" from the Little Mermaid..."

Although Spencer had never heard of the Little Mermaid, he laughed as he imagined his sister-in-law turning her meal into dinnertime entertainment. It was also surreal to hear about a childhood in which going to elegant restaurants and eating lobster was the norm. William Reid would send monthly checks to his former wife and son, but the amount would have never covered that sort of lifestyle.

"What sounds good to you?" Lila asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Besides that!" she giggled as his hand moved up her leg.

"Well..." Spencer said, his eyes scanning the menu. "I think I'm torn between the grilled chicken sandwich and sliced New York steak sandwich, he said.

"Both are delicious options," Lila replied. "why don't we each order one and share?"

The grilled chicken sandwich was topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, aged cheddar cheese, and avocado mayonnaise. The sliced New York steak sandwich was topped with caramelized onions and peppers, aged cheddar cheese, and horseradish aioli. Both sandwiches were served with a side of french fries.

"That sounds good to me, but does the aioli have egg in it?" he asked, since raw egg was a definate no-no for pregnant women. Mayonnaise was safe because even though egg was an ingredient, it was processed, so there was no risk to the baby.

"No it doesn't. The Palm uses traditional aioli, which does not use egg."

Spencer looked relieved and they both shut their menus. "Would you mind if I asked the waitress to omit the horseradish? I don't particularly enjoy that condiment very much. It's a little too pungent for me."

"We can omit that if you would like. I don't mind horseradish, but it's definately something I can live without."

Spencer smiled with relief and their waitress approached them. She was a young girl in her early twenties and her name tag read _Hillary_.

"Are you ready to order?" Hillary asked, doing her best to mask her excitement at the prospect of waiting on Spencer Reid and Lila Archer.

Not only had she been a fan of Lila's for years, but she found Spencer to be incredibly sexy. She thought their love story was so incredibly romantic and had wanted them to hook up ever since she read about Lila's stalking incident years ago.

"Yes Hillary, we are," Spencer replied, eyeing the girl carefully and hoping she wouldn't do something to upset his wife.

Unfortunately, Lila had already picked up on the girl's eagerness and could feel her earlier joy dissipating. It wasn't that she disliked interacting with her fans; she just didn't like being treated like a sideshow. Over the years she had come to discover that people tended to forget celebrities were people too. People with feelings and that certain things were not acceptable to say to their face. Lila looked around, wondering if reports had followed them into the restaurant.

Sure enough, she spotted a group of them a few tables over, the flash of their cameras a dead give away. Lila forced herself to look away from the reporters and buried her face in her hands. She could feel the old need festering inside and she hated herself for being so weak.

"Hillary, would you mind giving us a moment?" Spencer asked, noticing his wife's distress.

"Of course, sir," Hillary replied. She was about to walk away when she added.

"Would this be a bad time to ask Lila for her autograph? She was my favorite character on _Emotional Cages_."

"Yes Hillary, this, or any other time for that matter, would be a bad time," Spencer said coldly, turning away from the young girl to comfort his wife.

"It's never going to end, is it? Those people are going to hound me for the rest of my life and everyone is going to treat me like a sideshow freak," Lila muttered, letting out a slight, humorless laugh.

Before Spencer could respond, the reporters came over to the table, swarming them, snapping away and shoving microphones in their faces.

"How are you enjoy married life?"

"How's pregnancy treating you?"

"How are you adjusting to life in D.C.? Do you miss L.A.?"

"Lila, is it true that you are turning your back on Hollywood and have no desire to resume your acting career? Is it true that your husband is forcing you to give it up?"

"Spencer, you married Lila after only two weeks of dating: what was the rush? Did you marry her because of the pregnancy? Are you after Lila for her fame and money?"

"Lila, how do you feel about your former agent pleading guilty to charges of rape, extortion, fraud, and tax evasion? Did he abuse you as well?"

"Spencer, is your penis really ten inches long?"

The reporters fired away even more question, each one more invasive and offensive than the next. Lila slid out of the booth and ran towards the restrooms, her hand over her mouth. Spencer was close behind, with the reporters hot on his tail. Spencer turned a corner and made a grab for her. He just missed and Lila raced into the restroom.

Spencer ran inside, ignoring the amazed stares and glares coming from the other occupants of the restroom. They quietly made their way out and Spencer caught up to Lila, grabbing her by the waist as she was about to disappear into a stall. She wriggled, trying to free herself of his grip, but Spencer held firm. After a minute or so, she surrendered, letting herself fall into her husband's waiting arms. He held her close, gently rubbing her back and whispering words of encouragement in her ear.

"I hate this, Spencer, I absolutely hate this," she cried. "we were having such a nice time together and I _ruined _it!"

"Lila, this isn't your fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame those damn reporters who have no sense of decency or boundries."

"I'm not just talking about the paparazzi-I've resigned myself to be fodder for them. I just hate that my first response to trouble is to..."

Spencer continued to hold her, kissing the top of her head. "Lila, you have been purging for more than half of your life. It will take time to curb those desires. Although you will never entirely rid yourself of your addiction, you can learn how to control it."

Lila looked up at Spencer, knowing her understood the power of addiction more than most people. He ran his fingers through her hair and continued talking.

"I know you can conquer your demons, Lila. I believe in you-you just need to learn how to believe in yourself. And you will, with my help and with the help of your doctors."

Lila rested her head in the crook of his neck as the restroom door opened. They looked over, steeling themselves for a stampede of paparazzi. Instead, a man and and a woman entered, each clad in plain black suits. Spencer gave them the once over and realized they were the manager and assistant manager of the restaurant. The woman was the first one to introduce herself. Her name was Hannah Edwards and she was the manager. The gentleman introduced himself as Oliver Wallace and he was the assistant manager.

"Oliver and I just wanted to apologize for the ugliness you were subjected to just now," Hannah said, looking contrite. "we just wanted to let you know we are having security remove the reporters from the building as speak."

"We would also like to invite you to dine in our private dining area-on us of course. We are very sorry for any distress you have suffered," Oliver added.

"What do you think, love, do you want to stay?" Spencer asked, looking to his wife for final approval.

Lila thought about it for a while before she finally nodded her approval. Although she was still badly shaken, she wanted to try to salvage their day together. She also didn't want to let the paparazzi run her life and decide what she could or couldn't do with her husband. Spencer linked his fingers through hers and they followed Hannah and Oliver towards the private dining area.


	19. Chapter 19Littlest Treasure

Chapter Nineteen-Littlest Treasure

"Making a decision to have a child-it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."~ Elizabeth Stone

It was sometime later and Spencer and Lila were once again in the car. Although their lunch had gotten off to a shaky start, it ended up being wonderful. The entire Palm staff bent over backwards to accomodate them. Spencer and Lila ordered their sandwiches and french fries, along with mixed green salads to start their meal. Hannah and Oliver even threw in lobster bisque, three cheese potatos, and chocolate mousse for dessert.

Towards the end of the meal Lila had calmed down considerably and could actually enjoy herself. She was in such good spirits she even agreed to sign autographs and take pictures with the staff. They were now cruising in Spencer's volvo, enjoying the strains of the ever wonderful Bon Jovi. Lila was skimming through her CD collection in between looking at her husband adoringly.

"Where are we going?" she asked for the upteenth time. As always, Spencer wanted to be the surprise king and refused to reveal his next move.

"You'll see," Spencer replied, his arm around her. He gave her a kiss on the head before looking back at the road.

"Will you at least give me a hint?" Lila begged, feeling like a little girl the week before Christmas.

"We're here," he replied, pulling the car into a parking spot.

"That's a pretty good hint," Lila said laughing.

She looked at their destination and she really shouldn't have been surprised. Their car was now in the parking lot of Littlest Treasures, a shop dedicated to all things baby. The outside resembled a treasure chest and the sign had "treasures" coming out, such as bottles, pacificers, and of course, laughing babies. Lila looked over at her husband, who gave her an adorable smile.

"I knew that after that little incident at lunch today you would need something to cheer you up and what could be better than preparing for our daughter?"

"Preparing for our son," Lila replied, pulling him close for a kiss. Their lips moved in unison and Lila pulled away from his slightly, resting her hand on his cheek.

"I am so lucky to have such an amazing husband like you," she replied, kissing him again.

"Let's go have some fun," Spencer said, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car.

He walked over to Lila's side and opened the door. He took her hand and their fingers linked as they walked towards the store. They walked inside and were immediately taken aback by the incredible bounty before them. The store was organized meticulously, with furniture in one section, toys in another, and so on. The apparel was even separated by size and gender.

Spencer grabbed a cart and they walked towards the furniture. As he walked towards the more feminine pieces, Lila was heading towards the more masculine section. Realizing what was happening, they looked at each other and started laughing.

"Spence, honey, how on earth are we going to furnish a nursery if we can't even agree on our child's gender?" she asked in between giggles.

"You could just agree that I am correct and our baby is a girl."

"Yes, my love, you are right, that is a definate possibility," Lila said, doing her best to hold in her amusement. "_or_, and this is merely something to consider, you could just realize that your mother is correct: a mother knows and as our child's mother, I am 100% certain our child is a boy."

"Whatever you say, fleur," Spencer said, his own eyes shining with amusement.

"I guess we could always have a gender neutral nursery," Lila said, wanting to find a happy compromise for them.

"Is that something you would really want to do?" Spencer asked, knowing his wife well enough to know that she had dreams of frogs and snails and puppy-dog's tails.

"Not especially," Lila admitted. "I want an all boy room for our son and I know you well enough to know you're dreaming of sugar and spice and all things nice if our child is a girl."

"It never hurts to look, though," Spencer said. "in a few weeks we'll know the gender of our child, so we can return and purchase the items we have decided upon today."

"I do like the idea of looking at baby items," Lila said.

"Ladies first," Spencer said, leading his wife towards the little girl's section.

"Why is it you want a daughter so much? W...would you be disappointed if our baby was a boy?"

"Not at all," Spencer said. "I'll love our baby regardless of its gender because it's the manifestation of our love. I just love the idea of little Lilas because not only do I believe the world needs more of you in it, I just think I would relate to girls better. Let's face it, I'm not the typical man in many ways, so to be perfectly honest, the prospect of having a son scares me. How can I teach how to be a man when I don't even know?"

"Spencer, listen to me," Lila said, pulling him close to her. "there is more to being a man than watching sports, drinking beer, and standing in front of a vehicle with the hood popped open with a beer in your hand while you pretend to know what you're doing. Being a man, a real man, means being there for your family. It's about providing protection and unconditional love and support, which you do in spades. What you did for me this afternoon demonstrates just how much of a man you are."

Spencer blushed and looked down at his feet. Lila tilted his chin up so he was looking her in the eyes.

"I mean it, Spence. You are more of a man than any other male I have ever met. How many can say their husbands can wrestle a jerk to the floor, hold them when they cry, and try to solve all of their neurosis? Ashley's men barely remember to put the toilet seat down."

"I do that," Spencer said, an adorable slowly spreading across his face. He thought for a moment before adding:

"I would know what I was doing with a car, considering I have a PhD in engineering. I may not enjoy the taste of beer, but I can find my way about an engine."

"You certainly know your way around mine," Lila replied, kissing him again. "only a real man could make my eyes roll back the way you do."

Spencer grinned and kissed her again. They looked at the baby furniture and each item was more adorable than the next. Spencer was eyeing an adorable Venetian three in one antique white crib. The crib came with four posters and canopy cross bars, which allowed for three different styles.

Lila was studying white iron chairs, whose backs were in the shape of hearts. The cushion was made of soft, pink minky dot chenille and a plethora of tulle. The cushions were attached by lovely, pale pink ribbons and were available in a square or round shape. They reminded Lila of a ballerina's tutu and despite her negative feelings about dance, she found the chairs adorable. She couldn't help but giggle as she imagined little Lila sitting with Spencer in those chairs at a small, round table playing tea party.

"Those chairs are nice," Spencer said approvingly, running his hand along the back.

"They pair nicely with the crib you like," Lila replied.

"Do _you _like the crib?" Spencer asked.

"I think it's lovely. I especially love it's three in one, so we have more versatility," Lila replied.

Lila's focus then shifted to bassinets and two in particular caught her eye. The bassinet and pale pink ribbon were made of silk dupioni fabic and featured fifteen hundred hanging silk rose petals. A cluster of pale pink and carnation pink roses were in the center of the ribbon and the the rest of the roses followed a pale, carnation, and candy pink scheme. An adorable, tiny, similarly designed pillow also nestled inside.

The other bassinet was made of the same material and had a similar decorative pattern, only the skirt of this one was plain instead of ordained by roses. Although the roses were smaller on the first bassinet, the ones on the second were larger and less abundent. The roses in the center of the candy pink ribbon had more a bouquet look as opposed to blending into the ribbon.

"Which one do you like?" Lila asked him.

"I like the both. The second one has an open, almost summery feel to it, whereas the first one is quieter, daintier. I think they would both pair nicely with the chairs and the crib we like."

"We don't need both bassinets," Lila said laughing. "just how close of an age gap do you want in between babies?"

"Well, considering I think you look absolutely ravishing pregnant, I wouldn't mind keeping you in this state for a long time."

"How can you say I look ravishing pregnant when I don't even look pregnant. We wouldn't even know about our baby if it wasn't for your mother."

"I would know," Spencer said, his hand still linked to Lila's. "that glow on your face is a dead giveaway."

"My glow comes from being married to the most wonderful man in the world," Lila said, giving him a kiss.

Spencer blushed and after examining and discussing all things girly, they decided to take a walk on the masculine side. Spencer couldn't help but laugh as he watched his eye examine a hard wood, olive colored bun bed with a pullout, twin size trundle.

"Now who is thinking into the future," Spencer teased.

"It's my fantasy, let me have it," Lila said.

Spencer laughed and they continued their search for items befitting Spencer Jr. They started with cribs and bassinets and Spencer eyed each piece carefully.

"Is it just me or do most of these items look feminine?" he asked.

"Yes, they kind of do," Lila agreed. She looked around before settling on a crib.

"This one looks boyish," Lila said.

The crib Lila was examining was a convertable four-in-one in dark brown wood. It had a contemporary design with clean lines, rounded tray tops, beveled brushed stainless pulls, and a rich, mocha finish. With the addition of rails, the crib could be made into a toddler bed, a daybed, or to a double bed. A toddler gate for the daybed was already integrated into the footboard.

"This definately screams boy," Spencer agreed. "I also like the matching bureau and dresser."

"I love the fact that it's four-in-one," Lila added. "our son wouldn't need a new bed for years to come if we purchased this."

Spencer nodded and after examining the bedroom furniture, they moved onto strollers, high chairs, car seats, rockers and gliders. As Spencer pushed around a stroller, he looked over at his wife, who was eyeing diaper bags.

"You know..." he began, an adorable smile on his face. "just because we don't know the gender of child doesn't mean we can't buy her something."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Lila agreed.

Spencer and Lila scoured the store before settling on their purchases. Spencer settled on a plush doll blonde hair and blue blue eyes, clad in a soft pink dress. For Lila's part, she had decided on a navy blue police car.

"I think this is close enough to an FBI cruiser," she said.

Spencer laughed and they walked to the checkout line to pay for their purchases. With shopping bags in hand, they made their way back to their car. As always, they were in a loving, lingering embrace: they each had an arm wrapped around the other's waist and held on with no intention of letting go.


	20. Chapter 20MatthewGray & Gubler

Chapter Twenty-Matthew-Gray & Gubler

"A grand adventure is about to begin."~ Winnie the Pooh

It was close to seven o'clock the next morning and Spencer and Lila were walking hand-in-hand into Gubler & Matthew-Gray Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Pediatrics. They had risen at six and showered and dressed quickly before making their way to the office. They entered the building and looked around. The expansive waiting room had a light, open feel to it with its pale yellow walls, large windows, and plush armchairs. There were shelves filled with current magazines, a flatscreen tv, and toys in the corner for children.

Lila knew her husband well enough to know that he would never allow their children to play with items dozens of other sick children had touched, so she made a mental note to bring an activitybag with them for doctor's visits. They walked up to the counter and Spencer opened his satchel to retrieve Lila's paperwork. They were greeted by a short, petite blonde haired, green eyed pixie, clad in hot pink scrubs, who was quite frankly too happy at such an early time of day.

"Hello! You must be Lila and Spencer!" she exclaimed, taking the stack of paperwork from Spencer. For his part, he was wondering if they had stumbled upon the sister they didn't know Garcia had.

"We are," Lila said smiling. "you must be Sara."

"Yes, that's right," Sara replied, looking thrilled that Lila had remembered her name. She was a huge fan of Lila's and thought Spencer was hotter than an inferno, but her superiors had had a meeting the night before, stressing the importance of treating Spencer and Lila like regular people and not making them feel uncomfortable under pentalty of loss of job.

"You are certainly happy this morning," Spencer replied.

"It's called three cups of coffee," Sara replied.

Spencer and Lila chuckled and at that moment, the door that separated the waiting room from the patient care section of the office opened. They were greeted by a tall man in a dark grey suit. He appeared to be around 6'2 and had salt and had dark brown hair speckled with gray. He also had the same piercing green eyes as Sara.

"Hello, you must be Spencer and Lila. I am Dr. Gubler, but please, call me Andrew," he said, smiling warmly at the young couple.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Andrew," Lila replied, shaking his hand. Spencer followed suit and the threesome walked through the doors.

"Sara, please tell the rest of the staff not to bring back anymore patients until the completion of this visit," he said to Sara.

"Of course, doctor," Sara replied, doing her best to appear professional.

Andrew smiled at his daughter and led Spencer and Lila into his office. They were greeted by a small group of well dressed men and women. Spencer and Lila quickly summized they were Laura, Marilyn, Simon, Amber, Maxwell, and Steven. Laura was the first one to introduce herself. She appeared to be around 5'8 with a slim build and golden blonde hair and honey brown eyes.

Marilyn was next and like her brother, she was tall, round 5'11, with an athletic build. She also had brown hair, but her eyes were a pale sky blue. Simon was around 5'10 and appeared to be of Indian descent. Amber was the shortest of the group, standing at 5'6, and had sunny blonde hair and hazel eyes. She had a square shaped face and an hour glass figure.

Maxwell was around 6'0 and with his athletic, muscular build, and light brown skin, was of African American and Hispanic descent. Steven was the tallest of the group, standing at 6'3 with his fathers build and coloring, but his mother's eyes and smile. After exchanging pleasantries, everyone sat down and explained their roles in the office, as well as their experience. After that, they took Spencer and Lila on a tour of the office, introducing to different staff members. Once the tour was complete, Marilyn led Spencer and Lila into an exam room.

Andrew sensed that they would both feel more comfortable with Marilyn, Spencer in particular, so he excused himself and went back to his office. Lila sat on the exam table and Marilyn pulled a chair with wheels on the bottom close and sat down. Spencer sat next to Lila on the exam table and wrapped his arm around her. Marilyn looked through Lila's medical history, as well as her labwork from Dr. Jesson before looking up.

"I know you have only been on the iron for a short time, Lila, but how do you feel?"

"I feel better. I'm not as tired as I used to be," Lila said.

"Excellent. Dr. Jesson only wrote you a one week's supply, but I will write you another prescription as well, which should last you a month. It is important that you take your Iron everyday because the amount of blood in your increases during pregnancy until you have almost fifty percent more blood than usual, so you need more iron to make more hemoglobin.

Iron is also important for your growing baby and placenta, especially in the second and third trimester. I am prescribing you more iron than I usually would since your iron level is so low. We definately want to monitor your levels because iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy is associated with preterm delivery, low birth weight, and infant mortality."

"What is the difference between the amount of iron needed for a pregnant woman versus a non pregnant woman?" Lila asked.

"Pregnant women need twenty-seven milligrams of iron per day, whereas non pregnant women need eighteen. I just want to stress that you don't have to get the recommended amount of iron every day. Instead, aim for that amount as an average over the course of a few days or a week," Marilyn replied.

"Will I need to take iron supplements for the rest of my life?" Lila asked.

"No, and as a matter of fact, taking too much iron can have adverse side effects. When an individual with anemia begins iron supplements, the bone marrow acts like a shut-down factory going back to work on overtime. The new iron is used to make more hemoglobin which allows red blood cell production to soar. Most patients will see their anemia improve within a few weeks with a gradual rise in the Hemoglobin and Hematocrit blood test.

Within eight weeks the anemia is usually gone. However, treatment should continue daily until the body iron stores are fully replenished. This may take up to six months in severe cases. One way to see that is has been accomplished is the ferritin level. A ferritin level over fifty assures that the body iron stores have been replenished."

Marilyn discussed anemia and iron supplements in greater detail, as well as prenatal vitamins. After more discussion about pregnancy and answering all of Lila and Spencer's questions, it was time for Lila's ultrasound. Since Lila's pregnancy was in its early stage, it was decided that a transvaginal ultrasound would be performed. Spencer climbed off the exam table and stood near Lila's head. She pulled the skirt of her royal blue, silk, draped tulip skirt dress up to her waist.

The color made her eyes sparkle and the surplice neckline hinted at her bust without revealing too much. Marilyn gave her a drape, which Lila placed over the bottom portion of her body. She removed her thong and placed it next to her on the table. She reached up and grabbed Spencer's hand as Marilyn sat in a chair in front of her, her hands freshly washed and gloved. The ultrasound machine was in place and ready to go.

"Would you like to insert the probe yourself?" Marilyn asked, wanting to set Lila at ease.

"No, Marilyn, that's alright," Lila replied.

Spencer gave her hand a gentle squeeze and Marilyn began the ultrasound. Granted, there wasn't much to see in the second week of pregancy, but Marilyn was still able to monitor the fetus's development. She explained to Lila and Spencer what she was seeing and what was to come. Tears filled their eyes, overwhelmed with love and joy at the sight of the growing cells that would form their child. Marilyn smiled warmly at the young couple.

"Do you know your date of conception?" Marilyn asked Lila.

"June 9th," Spencer and Lila said in unison.

"Then is appears that your little one will make his or her grand debute around March 16th," Marilyn said.

"Her," Spencer clarified.

"His," Lila corrected.

Marilyn's lips twitched in amusement and she completed the exam. She removed the probe and as she cleaned up, Lila put her thong back on and removed her drape. She sat up and before she climbed off the exam table, Marilyn rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Lila, before I send you off to Amber, I would like to give you the name of an excellent psychiatrist. Although Amber can help you with nutrition and can help you alter your views on food, I think this particular psychiatrist will really help you get to the heart of your issues."

"What is the doctor's name?" Lila asked. She had never seen a psychiatrist before and the idea both intrigued and terrified her.

"Her name is Dr. Soshi Blackhope and she is one of the best psychiatrists I have ever had the privilege of knowing. She and Laura first met in college and have remained close ever since."

"Do you think seeing a psychiatrist is something you would be interested in?" Marilyn continued. "I don't want to force you into anything, but given what you have been through, I think having a neutral third party to confide in would do you a world of good."

"I am open to meeting with her, even though the prospect of pouring my heart out to a complete stranger frightens me," Lila admitted.

"It's perfectly natural to feel that way, Lila, I think most people do," Marilyn reassured her. "but I promise you that once you meet her, you will feel as though you have always known her."

"I guess we'll soon find out," Lila said.

"I'll have Sara give you her contact information when you check out," Marilyn replied.

Marilyn led them out of the exam room and towards the elevator. They climbed inside and went down to the first floor. Spencer and Lila saw the pharmacy, as well some other exam rooms. Marilyn led them to Amber's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Amber called out.

"Best of luck to you, Lila, and I look forward to seeing you again," Marilyn replied, extending her hand to her.

"Thank you so much. So far this has been a wonderful experience," Lila replied.

"Our patients come first for us and we will do whatever we can to set you at ease," Marilyn replied. She shook Spencer's hand and turned to get back on the elevator when Spencer called out.

"Would it be possible for you to print off some picture of the ultrasound? I know Lila's pregnancy is still fairly early, but..."

"They are printing as we speak. Sara will give them to you when you check out," Marilyn replied.

"Thank you," Spencer said.

Marilyn smiled and climbed back into the elevator. As the door closed, Amber's opened.

"Right on time," Amber replied, smiling at them both. "please, come in and make yourselves comfortable."

Spencer and Lila entered the office and sat down. The office was decorated primarily in white and had a light, open feel to it. Amber sat back down and began speaking. She spent about an hour with them, explaining proper nutrition to Lila and even giving her meal suggestions for the next week, until her next visit. She also addressed her Bulimia and gave her ideas and suggestions on how to curb her purging urges.

Once their appointment drew to a close, Amber escorted them back to the elevator and got on with them. She walked with them to the check out station, where they were greeted again by Sara. She was now joined by another medical assistant, a young woman who introduced herself as Rachel. Sara flashed them her usual sunny smile and handed Lila a prescription bag, as well as an envelope containing their ultrasound pictures. She and Spencer looked at her in amazement, which made the young girl giggle.

"As you know, our office is paperless and everything is done on computer-hence Dr. Matthew-Gray bringing her laptop into the room. When she prescribed your meds, she sent a message to the pharmacy so one of the techs would bring them up to you. The idea is we want our patient wait time to be as minimal as possible."

"That's quite a system you have," Spencer said, looking impressed.

Lila looked inside the bag and found her iron supplements, as well as her prenatal vitamins. Then she scheduled her next appointment with Amber, which was to be a week from today. She also scheduled her appointment with Marilyn for two weeks from now. After Sara gave Lila her reminder card, the giddy perspective parents left the office hand-in-hand. When they approached the car, Lila pulled him close for a kiss.

"I love you daddy-to-be," she said.

"I love you, mommy-to-be," he replied, running his fingers through her hair.

The disgustingly happy newlyweds shared another tender kiss before Spencer opened the door for her. Lila climbed inside and Spencer shut the door. Then he walked over to the driver's side, climbed inside, and once they were securely seat belted, drove away.


	21. Chapter 21On the road again

Chapter Twenty-One-On the road again

"Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves."~Albert Einstein

It was the next day and Spencer and Lila were on their way to their new home to finish signing paperwork. It was around nine o'clock that morning and Hotch had agreed to let Derek come in a little late, since the newlyweds were purchasing the house from him. And speaking of purchases, the Reids were cruising around in their latest one.

After Lila's doctor's appointment, they went to a car dealership so she could purchase a car. Although she had always leased vehicles, Lila wanted to purchase one this time. Spencer said it was because for the first time in her life she felt truly at home and she was in nesting mode, wanting to put down roots. As it happened, Lila and Spencer both ended up with roots, in the form of SUVs.

The owner of the dealership was a huge fan of Lila's, namely her barely clad Maxim pictorial, so he gave the newlyweds SUVs on the house. Lila's only stipulation to Spencer for accepting his was that he had to keep his Volvo, since she loved it and didn't want him parting with something he so obviously treasured. Spencer thought having three cars was a tad excessive, but he acqueisced to his wife's wishes.

Lila had wanted to take Spencer's volvo to their new home, but Spencer wanted to use one of their new SUVs. Since Spencer had been so co-operative, Lila decided to return the favor. Their SUVs were identical, both black and both ladden with all of the perks, including three rows of seating. Lila looked at the rows of seating with sparkling eyes before looking back at her amazing husband, whose gaze was on the road.

"One down, five to go," she said.

"Hmm, excuse me?" Spencer said, looking over at his wife. His focus had been so intent on the road, he hadn't noticed his wife speaking.

"I said one down, five to go," Lila said, giggling at her absentminded husband. He gave her a puzzled look, so she clarified.

"One of those seats is spoken for," she said, gesturing towards her belly. "so we only have five more to go until we have a full car."

Spencer's eyes widened and Lila couldn't tell if he was genuinely horrified or just joking. Either way she laughed, enjoying making her husband squirm.

"Six...that's six..." Spencer repeated, as if unable to imagine such a number.

"Six little Spencers: doesn't that sound amazing?" Lila asked.

"It would be even more amazing if you threw little Lilas into the mix as well," Spencer replied, giving his crazy wife a smile.

"Well then, Spence, I will make you a deal. We have fill your SUV with little Lilas if we can fill mine with Little Spencers."

"What about the Volvo?"

"We can use that to hide in when the children get on our nerves."

Spencer laughed and wrapped his arm around her. Lila giggled as well before speaking again.

"Now the only question is, what would we name our zodiac sized family?" she asked.

"Well, let's see..." Spencer said, removing his arm from her shoulders she he could hold her hand. He played with her fingers, considering his options.

"There's Lila..." he started, giving her thumb a slight jiggle. "Lily...Lilith...Lilia...Lil...Lilo..." As he spoke, he wiggled each one of her fingers.

"Lilo? You would seriously consider naming our baby after an animated Disney character?" she asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Well, show me what you've got," Spencer countered, enjoying their banter.

"Hmm...well...there's Spencer, Spence...Spen..." Her brows furrowed together as she pursed her lips together. Spencer's name didn't have as many variations as hers.

"You are stumped after only three?" Spencer asked, laughing bursting from his lips. "how do you expect to have a car full of sons if you cannot name them?"

"Your name doesn't have as many variations as mine!" Lila countered.

"Does that mean you're conceding defeat? Am I king of the baby names?"

"Hey now, I may be momentarily stumped, but if there's one I never do it's concede!"

Spencer laughed and Lila spoke again. "There's Asimov, Mov, Simov..."

"I thought of six names and never had to resort to your middle name," Spencer said, smug in his own brilliance.

"Well, not all of us have IQs of 187."

"That's true, but you have breasts and I don't so you have trumped me."

Lila burst out laughing, her face bright red at her husband's statement. The hillarity continued as Spencer rubbed his flat chest. "If I had a pair even half as magnificent as yours, I really wouldn't have much use for you..."

"Spencer Asimov Reid! I'm telling your mom!" Lila exclaimed, her face beat red as she slapped her husband's arm.

"Oh no, _anything _but that!" Spencer said, feigning fear.

Spencer and Lila both laughed and it was at that moment they arrived at their new home. Morgan's vehicle was already in the driveway, so Spencer pulled up next to it. He put the car in park and climbed out. He walked over to Lila's side and opened the door for her. He offered her his hand and she accepted. Spencer shut her door and they walked up to the house, their fingers linked.


	22. Chapter 22New Home & Old Friends

Chapter Twenty-Two-New Home & Old Friends

"Reunited and it feels so good."~Reunited lyrics by Peaches & Herb

Spencer and Lila walked inside their new house, their anticipation mounting. Within minutes this house would truly be theirs and they could get started on making a lifetime of happy memories. Lila was most looking forward to decorating Baby Spencer's room: Big Spencer was looking forward to christening each and every room of the house.

They gave each other knowing smiles and walked into the living room, where Derek was sitting on a patio chair. The house was devoid of furniture of course, so Derek brought in a patio set so they would have someplace to sit for signing the paperwork. When the newlyweds entered the room, Derek looked up and grinned, rising to his feet and walking towards them.

"Welcome newlyweds. Thank you for keeping your clothes on long enough to grace me with your presence," he joked, giving Spencer a good-natured slap on the back before giving Lila a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, man, watch it. Keep your hands off my woman," Spencer joked, although there was a slight edge to his voice.

Morgan raised his eyebrows, trying to choke back laughter. For her part, Lila couldn't hold back her floodgate of giggles. The combination of his high pitched voice with the phrase "my woman" was just too adorable not to find amusing. Morgan simply shook his head and led the pair towards the chairs. Morgan took his place and Spencer sat down across from him, pulling Lila onto his lap.

"For God's sake Reid clan, can't you go even a few moments without groping each other?" Morgan said, shaking his head.

"Nope," Lila replied, wrapping her arms around Spencer's neck and kissing him all over his face. Spencer claimed her lips in a kiss before turning towards Morgan.

"Besides, 'groping' is defined as 'feeling about or searching blindly or uncertainly with the hands' and as you can see, our hands are totally devoid of feeling or searching," Spencer replied, holding up his motionless, momentarily chaste hands.

"Speak for yourself," Lila replied, letting her hands move up her husband's short sleeved button down shirt.

"Yeah, yeah, save that for later, much, much later, so late in fact that I am not here," Morgan replied, a slow grin spreading across his face as he picked up a brief case from the floor. He removed the paperwork from it and placed it on the table.

"Let's hurry up and get this taken care of so you two may commence your newly wed debotchery," Morgan said, plopping a pen down on the pile.

"And boy do we love debotchery in the Reid household," Lila replied, giving her husband a lustful grin.

"Just sign the damn paperwork and give me my check," Morgan replied, shaking his head.

He realized just how topsy turvy the world could be when his scrawny little friend was getting more action than him. In fact, Derek had't had sex since sleeping with Ashley after the wedding. He shook his head as he remembered Lila's crazy, yet uniquely sexy sister.

Spencer and Lila complied, going through the forms in a rapid frenzy. As Lila signed her signature for the final time, Spencer opened his own briefcase and pulled out their check. He handed it to Morgan, who held it up to the light.

"Hmm, is this real? Is it going to clear?" he teased.

Spencer and Lila made a face and Spencer threw their pen in his direction. Morgan caught the pen mid air, chuckling as he placed the check in his briefcase. It was at that moment they heard the front door swinging open. Derek and Spencer's heads jerked violently in that direction, wondering who or what was coming into the house. Lila rose to her feet, a knowing smile on her face.

She walked towards the door, eager to see their visitor. Spencer and Morgan followed close behind, curious as to who was to be joining them. As far as the men were aware, this transaction was only going to include the three of them. Lila opened the door and the identity of the new arrival brought out different reactions and feelings in all three of them.

"Hey, wassup everyone?" a very familiar voice said, in a greeting uniquely unto the individual possessing it.

The person in question was none other than Ashley, who immediately overtook the room with her widespread grin and strutting movement. In fact, Lila had never seen her sister walk once in her entire life-her younger sister always strutted. Ashley looked radiant in an ash colored, tweet-inspired one button suit. It was made in Italy and beautifully tailored, as if it had been made just for her. She had paired the suit with a silk, watermellon colored t-shirt, black peep-toe pumps, black Dior hand bag, and a gold necklace consisting of black onyx and diamonds. Her gorgeous, thick brown hair was pulled and her make up was subtle, yet masterfully applied.

Spencer and Morgan took in the sight before them, both pleasantly surprised. They were both used to crazy, wild Ashley, so this polished professional standing before them was a welcome surprise. The men and even Lila were in for another surprise when yet another visitor entered the house. Although Lila had been expecting Ashley, she wasn't expecting the person who accompanied her.

Zoey entered the house close behind Ashley, looking sophisticated herself in a cap sleeved, navy blue silk dress. It had a surplice neckline and the belt made her slender waist look even more narrow. She paired the outfit with nude, patent leather sandals, pave hoop earrings, and a triple pave bracelet set. She was also carrying a briefcase, which Lila recognized to be Ashley's.

What surprised the threesome even more however, was the change in Zoey's hairstyle. Her golden locks had been dyed dark brown and cut into a chic, shaggy bob, which looked great against her skin tone. Ashley grinned at her sister and walked towards her, pulling her into the death grip she called a hug.

"Hey girl, you're looking great and recently fucked as always. How's married life treating you?" she asked.

"Married life is wonderful, it couldn't be better," Lila managed to choke out once Ashley released her and oxygen could filter into her lungs again.

"Excellentee," Ashley replied before zoning in on a nervous looking Spencer.

"Hello Spencer," she said, looking at his face before looking at the crotch of his pants. "hello Reid."

"Umm, hello Ashley. It's wonderful to see you as always," Spencer said, letting out a nervous laugh.

"Ash, how many times do I have to tell you not to treat my husband's penis like a separate entitity. It's unnerving when you address it like a person," Lila replied.

Spencer's face turned beat red, unaccostumed to two women arguing over his genitalia. It was a strange, surreal, yet oddly flattering experience.

"Hey, it's not my fault Spencer has the most amazing, hugamungous, thickalicious cock in all of history," Ashley countered, causing even Morgan to blush. Spencer's face was even redder than before, so red it fact Lila thought maybe a shade of red had been invented just for him for just this very occassion.

"Hey, I'm serious man," Ashley continued. "your cock is amazing and you are super-de-duperly sexy as well. If you were single and my sister wasn't in love with you I would throw you to the floor and rid you into next Tuesday. I would grind my pussy into your cock until it broke in half."

Spencer stared at his sister-in-law, wide-eyed in amazement that someone was actually speaking to him in this fashion and the person in question was his sister-in-law. He was also more than a little afraid for his penis, since he knew Ashley wouldn't be as tender with it as Lila was.

"Now that being said," Ashley continued, lost in her own little frightening world, "you _are _married to my sister, so if you even _think _of trying to tap my cootchie cootchie hiya hiya or my curvacuous berdonkidonk, I will rip off your balls and shove them down your throat. Do we understand each other?"

"Y...yes Ashley," Spencer said, fearing not just for his life, but for the well being of his manhood.

Morgan just shook his head as the laughter burst forth from his lips and Zoey was right behind him. Lila just stared at her sister like she was the insane person she was.

"Is there a scenerio in which you are _not _thinking of _my husband's _genitalia?" Lila demanded of her sister.

"No, not really, no," Ashley replied, shaking her head. Lila's eyes narrowed in disapproval and Ashley gave her a wide eyed expression. "What? I'm not tryin to piss ya off, chica. Alls I'm sayin is your husband's dick is awesome and I would ride it like donkey kong if it was possible."

"Which it isn't," Ashley quickly added in her bipolar fashion, fixing a deathglare on her poor brother-in-law, who could add little more than a defenseless raise of his hands.

"So, Zoey, what brings you to Quantico. Have you had enough of Sin City?" Morgan asked her, desparately wanting to change the subject.

"Kind of," Zoey replied. "don't get me wrong, Vegas is wonderful, but I just needed a change. I've always wanted to live in New York, so when Ash offered me a job as her assistant, I was only too happy to accept."

"I have needed an assistant for months now and Zo has been a life saver," Ashley added, leading them back into the living room so they could sit back down. The men remained standing so the ladies could have the chairs. Spencer stood behind Lila, resting his hands on her shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"How long have you been working for Ashley?" Lila asked her, thrilled that her new friend was living closeby.

"Since Monday," Zoey replied, opening Ashley's briefcase and pulling out binders and folders. "and I'm not the only one who is relocating to the east coast either. Ivy, Holly, and Aiden are coming as well."

"Really?" Lila asked, looking thrilled. "why is that? Do the four of you just want to stay together?"

"That's part of it," Zoey admitted. "but the truth is, we have wanted to move for a long time but just couldn't for different reasons. I have always wanted to live in New York, but until recently didn't have the finances to do so. Holly, Aiden, and Ivy have been working for years to have enough money to go back to school and now they have it. This fall Holly will be attending law school in D.C. and the Aiden and Ivy will been attending college in New York. Aiden wants to study Psychology and Ivy is thinking photography or fashion designing."

"That is so exciting. I can't wait to see them again," Lila said, genuinely thrilled at the prospect of getting her new friends back together.

"They are pretty excited as well," Zoey replied. "the girls will be out here in about a month or so."

"What about Saul and Karla? Who is going to help them with the orchard and the conservatory?" Spencer asked.

"My parents and Uncle James and Aunt Marla are still helping them, and the kids will as well," Zoey replied. "Kaitlyn, Liam, and Noah especially since they have graduated high school. They want to work for a while and save money before going to school."

"What's with the binders?" Morgan asked, changing the subject as he looked at the small pile on the table.

"Zo and I are here on official business," Ashley replied. "as you know, I'm an interior decorator, so Lila has hired me to decorate her house."

"Oh, that's...nice," Spencer replied, a tad frightened by the prospect. He remembered what her apartment looked like and although that...style suited her, he didn't want his home looking like Marde Gras on crack.

"Oh, Spence, chillax," Ashley said, laughing boisterously as she reached up to playfully slap his arm. "as a professional, it is my job to design your home around your tastes, not my own. Although I like to give my work a one-of-a-kind feel to it, I would like you to look at pictures and let me know what you like and what you don't like and please feel free to share any ideas or suggestions.

Spencer and Lila nodded and began looking through the binders to examine Ashley's work. Lila had seen them several times, but she was eager for Spencer's opinion. As they pondered their options, Ashley looked over at Zoey.

"Zoey, while I'm talking to them, why don't you take the tape measure and measure each of the rooms? That will make life easier in terms of selecting furniture and in the overall design process," she said.

"Actually, I have all of the measurements," Morgan replied. "I re-built this house myself, so anything you need to know, just ask."

"Ohh, look at you Mr. Handy man bein all sexxay with your Bob the Builder knowledge," Ashley said, looking at him appreciatively.

Morgan blushed, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck in an uncomfortable fashion before turning his attention back to Zoey. Ashley grinned at him before turning her attention back to her bemused clients.


	23. Chapter 23Reality Meets Fantasy

Chapter Twenty-Three-Reality Meets Fantasy

"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within."~ James Arthue Baldwin

It was around four thirty that afternoon and Lila was preparing dinner. She and Spencer had had a long, yet exciting day and she was looking forward to curling up on the couch with her amazing husband and having a delicious, comforting meal. They were back at the apartment, deciding to remain there until the furniture was set up in their new home.

Spencer also didn't want Lila in the house while the painters were working, since paint fumes and pregnancy typically didn't go hand-in-hand. After sharing their suggestions and desires with Ashley and Zoey regarding the house, the foursome went to a local furniture store to do some serious shopping.

For his part, Morgan was all too happy to go to work, feeling a tad embarassed by Ashley's fervent admiration for Spencer's gentials. It bothered him that while she had all but established a fanclub for Spencer and his reid, she had all but forgotten about him and his...Morgan. Derek knew that Ashley wasn't exactly a virgin and that she wasn't as keen on commitment as Lila, but he wasn't anticipating such swift, cold rejection.

Shopping for the new house went extremely well and Spencer and Lila had had fun looking at all of the furniture and of course, trying out the beds. Lila was happy with the bed they already had, but Spencer wanted something bigger, stating that a full just wasn't large enough for the aecrobatics that would be transpiring. Lila relented and after an exhaustive search and endless ribbing from Ashley and Zoey, a decision was made. The newlyweds were now the proud owners of a very large, very durable, king sized bed.

With the furniture selected, all Lila and Spencer needed to do now was sit with Ashley and Zoey and go over the overall design scheme they wanted for their home. Despite the fact that Lila had been surrounded with privilege her entire life, she wanted her home to have a cozy, homey feel. The last thing she wanted was to raise her son in a museum: she wanted their house to feel like a home.

With fantasies of homemaking in her mind, Lila was already on her way to being a model housewife as she prepared dinner. Although she still wasn't a gourmet cook, even she could work a crockpot. On tonight's menu was potroast and vegetables, paired with a simple salad and cornbread. The roast was already in the crockpot, so all Lila had to do was add the vegetables and seasoning and turn on the crockpot. She was washing and slicing red potatos in halves when Spencer entered the room, looking sexy in dark jeans, black dress shirt, and plum and maroon sweater vest. He walked over to Lila and kissed her cheek.

"Look at you acting like the domestic goddess you are," he said, kissing her again and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I don't know about being a 'domestic godess,' but I am becoming more comfortable in the kitchen," Lila said, giggling as his lips moved to her neck.

"I thought I had already helped you in that department," Spencer said, kissing her again.

"You have definately helped set me at ease, but I think I need to cultivate some culinary skills. Somehow I don't think our son will care about our ability to desecrate countertops."

Spencer laughed and Lila assessed her husband's change of clothes. Although he always looking amazingly delectible in her eyes, he looked especially bad assed in dark colors. She was curious as to why he was dressed up, however, since they had no plans to go out.

"What's with the change of clothes, babe? Do you have a surprise planned for us?" Lila asked, dropping the potatos into the crockpot. As she went to work on the carrots, Spencer nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"Umm, well, I...umm...need to go somewhere," he said, feeling nervous about discussing this with her.

"Where are you going? You're not planning a dream wedding for another woman are you?" she teased.

"You know I only have eyes for you," Spencer said, looking at her with obvious affection.

Lila blushed and Spencer continued. "I actually have a, umm, meeting tonight," he said, his face burning. Although Lila was well aware of his past drug problem, he still wanted to shield her from it. As silly as it sounded, he wanted to remain the indestructable hero in her eyes.

"Meeting, but you're on vaca...ohhh," Lila said, finally realizing what he meant.

Spencer simply nodded, still looking embarassed by their conversation. Lila wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and pulled him close for a hug.

"Spence, you don't have to feel embarassed or ashamed of you past. I think it takes courage to admit your problems and try to fix them."

"That's what I keep trying to tell you," Spencer said, looking into her eyes.

"Would you like me to come with you? I can turn the crockpot on low and we can just eat the roast for lunch tomorrow."

"That's a sweet offer, love, but this types of meetings aren't exactly open to the general public. It's for...you know." He didn't want to say the word "addict," but Lila knew what he meant and saved him the shame of saying it.

"I could wait in the car," she said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'd rather you wait here," Spencer said, chuckling before adding. "eating the roast," knowing full well she would let it cook on low and not have any until he came home.

"If you insist," Lila said, pursing her lip into a pout, although Spencer knew she was just teasing him. 

"I do," he said, pulling her close for a kiss.

"What time is your meeting?" Lila asked, playing with the collar of his shirt.

"Six," he said, twirling his finger around her ponytail.

"Would you like something to eat before you go?" she asked.

"I'm not hungry," Spencer said.

Lila raised her eyebrows and started kissing his neck, letting her fingertips graze the front of his pants. As she began sucking on his Adam's apple, he spoke.

"Well, now that you mention it, I am a little famished..." he said, moaning as he felt his erection come to life.

"So am I," Lila cooed, leading him from the kitchen into the living room.

She pushed him onto the sofa and straddled his lap. She removed his sweater vest and unbuttoned his shirt, kissing the skin as she exposed it. Spencer groaned and reached over to cup her breasts in his hands. She was wearing a white tank top with a build in bra, as well as gray sweatpants. He allowed one hand to disappear into her top, running his fingers along her soft, round orbs.

Lila moaned as be tweeked her nipples with his fingers, feeling the wetness pool between her legs. She removed his shirt entirely and allowed it to join his vest on the floor. Within moments the rest of their clothes were shed and Lila descended onto his hardness. She gasped as he filled her, the enormity of his manhood still taking her breath away. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him passionately, moving her hips with his.

Spencer ran his hands along her body, allowing one hand to massage her breasts as the other found her clit. He lowered his mouth to her breasts, sucking a swollen nipple into his mouth. He ravished equal amounts of attention on her breasts and it wasn't long until she flooded his arousal with her pleasure. She lowered her mouth to kiss and suck his neck, lowering her hand to massage his balls, wanting him to follow her into bliss.

Spencer thrusts became more rapid and urgent, his release within reach. He grabbed her hips and arched his head back, crying out as he released inside of her. Lila pulled him close for a passionate kiss, his climax causing her to release again. After their bodies gave a final shudder, Lila slumped into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Spencer laid back on the sofa, keeping her on top of him.

He held her face in his hands and kissed her tenderly. Lila ran her fingers through his hair and smiled at him. They spent a few minutes in silent, delightful afterglow, holding and kissing each other. When Spencer finally had to leave, he gently laid on the sofa and tucked her in with a colorful throw that was laying closeby. As Lila watched him adoringly, he dressed quickly, knowing he had to hurry if he wanted to be on time.

After one last parting kiss, Spencer collected his satchel, cellphone, and housekeys before walking out the door. As he exited the building, they were both counting down the minutes until they could see each other again.


	24. Chapter 24Past Meets Present

Chapter Twenty-Four-Past Meets Present

"The past is our definition. We may strive, with good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding something better to it."~ Wendall Berry

It was a little past nine o'clock and Spencer was sitting on a bar stool in a bar in downtown Washington D.C. His meeting ended about an hour ago, but he wasn't ready to return home. The meetings took a toll on him emotionally, since admitting his struggles and inner demons to a large group wasn't easy. When they concluded, he wanted to be left alone, allowed to lose himself in his own little world. Although it had been years since he's used, the urges were still there.

They weren't quite as crippling as they once were, but they still existed. Spencer hated himself for feeling this way, although he knew those feelings were understandable and normal. He found it ironic that while he could forgive and support Lila and her struggles, he vilified himself for his own. He knew that if the situation was reversed and Lila was going to tonight's meeting, God himself couldn't have stopped him from joining her. He would have sat next to her the entire time, holding her hand and supporting her.

Indeed, he fully intended on accompanying her to her first therapy session with Dr. Blackhope the next day. He would even stay in the room with her if possible. He understood the importance of privacy and confidentiality, but above all he wanted his wife to know just how much he loved her and that he was behind her every step of the way on her long road to recovery.

After the meeting, he had driven around for a while, not really knowing where he wanted to go. He knew he should have called Lila when the meeting was over, but he needed to decompress. This was the first time he would have someone waiting for him and he didn't know how to handle that. He knew Lila would want to talk about the meeting and while he appreciated her support, this was something he didn't feel comfortable discussing.

As he rested his chin in one hand, he used the other to gesture towards the bartender so he could order a drink. His gaze was downcast, so he hadn't noticed the bartender when he first entered the establishment. When he sensed the bartender standing in front of him, he looked up so he could place his order, but was stunned speechless at what, or rather, _whom_, he saw.

Standing before him was Austin, his former girlfriend. He hadn't seen or heard from her since they broke up over a year ago. They had started seeing each other shortly after Spencer had saved her from the clutches of a deranged serial killer. Their conversations consisted mostly of phone calls and text messaging, as well as them occassionally flying out to see each other. There was an attraction between them, but ultimately conflicting work schedules and Spencer's naivety killed the relationship.

"A...Austin! What are you doing here?" Spencer sputtered, the shock more than apparent on his sexy face.

"Working of course," Austin said with a giggle. "now the question is, what are _you _doing here?"

"Having a quick drink before I go home," Spencer replied, thanking her as she handed him his usual, a glass of red wine.

"Speaking of home, from what I understand your living quarters have become a little more crampt recently," Austin said, leaning over and resting her arms on the bar, allowing him a glimpse down her black tank top. She looked more...ample than the last time he had seen her and Spencer blushed, forced his gaze upward.

"Oh, you heard about that," Spencer said, trying to get used to the fact he was fodder for the tabloids.

"Only me and the rest of the world," Austin said with a laugh. "at last you have let someone of the female pursuasion into your apartment," she teased.

During the entire time Spencer and Austin dated, Spencer had never once stayed the night at her place or let her come to his. He said he wanted to get to know her first and develop a deeper emotional connection before they took their relationship to the next level. Austin had went along with this, although she secretly believed his feelings were outdated. When she was finally able to convince Spencer to allow more than a few kisses, well, that's when their relationship met its end.

"It won't be long until Lila and I are sharing a house and not just an apartment," Spencer said, his blush never leaving him. "we signed the paperwork earlier today and we're moving as soon as it's decorated."

"A new wife, new house, and new baby all in a two and a half week span," Austin said, looking surprised at her former beau. "and to think, you made me wait three months before you agreed to stay the night at my place."

"And we both know how well that went," Spencer said, a short, humorless laugh escaping from his lips.

"Oh, I don't know, I think things are going pretty well for you," Austin said. "I'd say going from a bartender to a movie star is a pretty big trade up."

"You know I don't think like that. Both you and Lila are special in your own unique way."

Spencer took a sip of his wine and Austin fetched drinks for two more customers before walking back to him.

"What brings you to Washington anyway? Is the bartending business really that slow in Atlanta?" he teased.

"I just felt like I was ready for a change," Austin said with a shrug. "I have a bit of waterlust in me."

The truth was she moved from Atlanta to Washington in hopes of reconciling with Spencer. Although Spencer wasn't the type of man to which was accustomed, he still had a lot of admirable qualities. Although he was naive, awkward, and long-winded, he was still incredibly sweet, attentive, and romantic. She was also approaching her twenty-ninth birthday and was at a stage in her life where she was beginning to long for a family of her own. And considering most of the men she had dated were far from ideal husband or father material, she knew Spencer was the one she wanted to take that next step with.

She'd moved from Atlanta to D.C. in early spring in hopes of running into Spencer, but nothing had ever happened. She'd driven to his apartment building a few times, but he was never home. Then of course came the news that he had married Lila Archer and she was devastated. She had moved for nothing and due to her apartment lease, couldn't move back. Still, running into him tonight had to be a sign and judging from his gloomy mood, she might still have a chance. Afterall, being married to a sexy actress couldn't be _that _amazing.

"At least your job is such you can find work anywhere," Spencer relied.

"Bartending pays the bills," Austin said with a shrug. "more than magic, anyway."

Austin had attempted to make a career out of magic, but after about two months decided it simply wasn't for her. The truth was her bank account was dwindling and it was either tend bar or move back in with her parents. And as much as she loved them, she felt that anyone over the age of twenty-five living with their parents and not acting as their caregiver was a loser.

"Do you have any desire to try something else?" Spencer asked. Although he wasn't a snob by any atretch of the imagination, he felt that Austin deserved better than to spend the next thirty years charming drunks for extra tips.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Austin replied. Although she one very large desire in mind, she opted not to share that with him, not yet anyway. Instead, she decided to share the more chaste option.

"My brush with death has inspired me to make a career change and I have finally decided what I want to do."

Spencer looked at her curiously before she continued. "Last fall I began studying Criminal Justice at George State University."

"That's so exciting, Austin. I'm glad you've discovered what you want to do," Spencer replied.

"Maybe I can become a big, bad FBI agent like you," Austin teased, giving him a wink.

"Anything is possible," Spencer replied. "are you attending college now or are you waiting until the fall?"

"I'm taking classes now, as a matter of fact. I transfered from GSU to George Washington University and moved in time to start the spring semester. I'm going to take classes year round so I can graduate as quickly as possible."

"For what it's worth, I don't think your years before college were a waste," Spencer said, reading her mind. "it's normal to spend time discovering who you are where your talents and passions lie. I think your time only would have been wasted if you had gone before you were ready."

Spencer and Austin spent the rest of the night talking as she waited on customers. She gave him updates on her family and raved about college. For his part, Spencer spent the evening gushing about Lila and how amazingly perfect she was. He even showed off the ultrasound pictures and Austin reacted with appropriate joy, even though she couldn't see a thing in the picture. Although she acted happy for him on the outside, on the inside she was counting down the days until Lila was out of the picture and she was in with ultrasound pictures of her own.

It was close to two o'clock in the morning when Spencer arrived home. The apartment was pitch black, save from the glow of the television that was still playing. Spencer smiled when he realized Lila had been watching a Star Trek dvd. And speaking of his amazing wife, she was still on the couch, sound asleep with the throw over her body. She was clad in the same tank top and sweatpants from earlier and her dinner plate was on the coffee table. He set down his satchel, turned off the television, and leaned over, kissing her softly on the lips.

"Mmm, my husband will be home any minute..." Lila mumbled, still half asleep.

Spencer chuckled and scooped her into his arms. As he headed towards the bedroom, Lila caught a glimpse of the clock.

"Spence, babe, it's 2:30! How long was your meeting?" she asked, still sleepy, but aware enough to tell time.

"Shh, love, go back to sleep," Spencer cooed, kissing her again, walking into the bedroom.

After tucking her into bed, Spencer shed his clothes until he was clad in merely his boxers. He crawled under the covers and pulled her close, his heart and mind filled with love for his wife as he drifted off to sleep.


	25. Chapter 25Seeds are planted

Chapter Twenty-Five-Seeds are planted

"When we are in love we often doubt that which we most believe."~ Francois de la Rochefoucauld

It was the next day around nine thirty when Lila woke up. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, letting the sleepiness dissipate from her body. As she became fully awake, she looked around, wondering how she moved from the sofa to the bedroom. She didn't have to wonder long when she looked over and saw Spencer sitting up beside her, reclining against the pillows. He looked insanely sexy clad in nothing but his boxers and his hair was still sexily tussled.

To her amusement, he was happily tucking into some of the left over potroast and cornbread from the night before. Lila thought potroast was an odd way to start the day, but then again, her husband wasn't like most people. Lila smiled when that thought came to mind because she was thrilled by how unique he was. He was one-of-a-kind and he was all hers to enjoy. It was at that moment Spencer looked over at her and noticed she was awake.

"Goodmorning, love," he said, beaming at her. He had been awake for about half an hour and was starting to get lonely. He knew rest was important for his wife and unborn daughter, but he loved Lila's company and wanted to soak up every possible milisecond with her.

"Goodmorning, babe. I'm pleased to see you're enjoying last night's dinner," Lila said, sitting up and stretching. Spencer had taken out her ponytail before putting her to bed, so Lila reached towards the nightstand to retrieve it. She threw her hair into a messy bun and smoothed the top out as best she could.

"I don't know why you think you can't cook, Lila, because this is delicious," Spencer said, offering her a parsnip with his fork.

"Even *I* can't mess up with a crockpot," Lila joked, accepting his offering. After finishing it, she continued. "I think that thing will be my saving grace in the kitchen. I'm surprised you never used it." Indeed, the crockpot had been a housewarming gift from Gideon, but Spencer had never gotten around to using it.

"I've never been any good in the kitchen. I mean, I used to cook for Mom when I lived at home, but it was never anything fancy and I haven't cooked much since."

"I think we should take a cooking class together," Lila suggested. "we would both learn something and it would be fun because we're doing it together."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Spencer replied, feeding her some of the roast. He would dress in a grass skirt and poke safety pins through his nipples as long as he was doing it with her. He frowned and shuddered slightly at that painful concept when Lila spoke.

"Spence, where were you last night? It was 2:30 when you finally came home and you didn't call or text me the entire evening. I was worried about you. I...I thought..."

Lila couldn't finish her sentence because of the lump in her throat. She knew it was irrational to worry so much, but when he didn't come home or contact her, many different, terrifying thoughts raced through her mind. Images of him in a ditch or slamming into a tree filled her mind, not to mention the possibility of a deranged lunatic with an axe to grind against the FBI.

Then of course were her fears that the emotional distress of attending these meetings would prove too much to bear for him and he would find a way to unleash his pain. She knew how strong her husband was and had total faith in him, but she also knew he lacked that very faith in himself.

When Spencer saw the woebegotten look on his wife's face, he immediately felt like a jackass. He wasn't used to having someone in his life who loved and cared about him so much. It was still surreal for him to believe that someone as wonderful and amazing as Lila had chosen him to spend her life with. He wasn't used to having someone waiting for him at home and his need to decompress aside, he felt horrible for scaring her.

It was nice seeing Austin again, but he would happily trade in that experience to take away Lila's pain. Absolutely nothing, especially the ex-girlfriend who broke up with him, was more important to him than his wife. Spencer set his tray of food onto the floor and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her for all he was worth and pressed a kiss against her temple.

"I'm sorry for scaring you, love. I know I should have called and there's no excuse for my inconsiderate behavior. I guess I just need to get used to the fact that I'm not alone anymore."

"And you never will be again," Lila replied, taking his hands and resting them on her belly. Spencer smiled softly and kissed Lila on the lips before moving down to her stomach. He lifted up her tank top and kissed the flat surface.

"I want to apologize to you as well, Little Lila, because my actions affect you as well. I love you very, very much and you and Mommy both have me wrapped around your fingers. I know technically at this stage in development you don't have any fingers and probably can't hear a word I'm saying..."

Lila giggled and ran her fingers through his hair, loving this side to him. She knew out of all the men in the world, God had given her the very best one to not only be her husband, but the father of her unborn son. If his behavior now was any indication of what was to come, she knew Spencer Jr was the luckiest child in the world.

"Well, Spence, if Spencer Jr is anything like his Daddy, I'm sure he not only has all his fingers, but is already getting a head start on his PH.D. Afterall, it would be a shame for him to let the next nine months go to waste."

Spencer laughed and kissed her belly again before resting his head against it. He gently traced her skin with his fingers before speaking.

"If my head is too heavy, please let me know," he said.

"Spence, relax, Baby Spence and I are fine. Besides, I love cuddling with you like this. I'll make a deal with you: you can rest your head against me all you want if you tell me where you went last night. I called the center where your meetings are held and I was told the meeting ended at eight and since Garcia's searches of hospitals, police stations, and morgues came up empty, I would like to know what your alternative was. You...you're not moonlighting as a drag queen in some bar are you?"

Spencer laughed, although her bar comment was almost spot on. Not only did he feel guilty about causing his pregnant wife to worry about him, but knowing she was scared enough to contact the team made him feel even worse. He knew Lila had jealous, insecure tendancies, so he hoped he could explain his whereabouts without unleashing more of those feelings.

"The truth is, love, I did go to a bar," Spencer admitted, turning so that his head was still on her belly, but so he could look at her. Lila gave him a curious look and he continued speaking, reaching for her hands to play with her fingers.

"After the meeting, I...I needed to decompress and sort my feelings out. I always feel so emotionally drained when they are over and I just need to sulk and be alone until I feel like myself again. I drove around for a while until I somehow ended up at a bar in downtown D.C., a bar I have never been to before. I went inside, sat down, and gestured toward the bartender so I could order a drink. I...I didn't notice who the bartender was until she was standing in front of me. She...she was Austin."

Spencer looked into Lila's eyes, trying to gage her response. He didn't want her to get the wrong impression about last night because he would sooner die than hurt her. It was important to him to be 100% honest with her because he knew she would be even more hurt if she discovered the truth and knew he had been keeping this from her.

"_Austin_? As in the Austin who dumped you because she's a moron?" Lila asked, looking surprised.

"I'm not certain I agree with the moron part, but yes, I'm referring to Austin," he replied, relieved she wasn't angry. She just looked surprised, then suspicious.

"Why is she in D.C.? I thought she lived in Atlanta," Lila said, quickly coming to the conclusion that Austin was a no-good whore who was after her man. 

"She did, but decided to move here because she wanted a change. She has a case of 'waterlust', as she likes to call it. She's working in a bar in downtown D.C. and studying Criminal Justice at George Washington University."

"Isn't that...interesting," Lila replied, knowing she wouldn't have to twist Ashley's arm too hard should she decide she wanted a certainly slutty bartender done away with.

"Lila..." Spencer said looking into her eyes, knowing jealousy when he saw it, almost finding it funny someone like Lila was jealous and possessive over him. 

"Yes my love?" Lila asked, plastering a smile on her face, hoping to rid her eyes of the skulls she knew must be shining through.

"You have nothing to worry about. I'm in love with you, not her," Spencer said, gently stroking her cheek with his fingers.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Lila assured him, linking her fingers with his. "it's that lying, conniving, no good whore that gives me cause for concern."

"Oh my God, how did you do that?" Spencer asked, looking amazed.

"Do what?" Lila asked, looking confused.

"Merge your sister into your body. Although you look like my beautiful Lila, you sounded just like my rather frightening sister-in-law."

Lila burst out laughing and Spencer joined in, loving the sound of his wife's amusement. When they both settled down, he sat up and rested his hands on her face, looking into her eyes.

"Austin is a lovely person, but she pales in comparison to you. The entire time she and I were together I wished I was with you. The truth is, comparing my feelings for her to my feelings for you is like comparing a glass of water to the ocean. Lila, I love you."

"Spence, it's not you I'm doubting, it's her. You may not realize this, but women are horrible, deceitful creatures."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think you and our daughter are pretty amazing," Spencer said.

"I wish you would just accept the fact that our little miracle is a boy. A mother knows and last time I checked, you lack the necessary equipment to be anyone's mother."

"You're right, love, I don't have a womb, but I _do _have an IQ of 187 and that counts for something."

"Not this time."

Spencer chuckled and continued speaking. "Statistics show that a majority of men who cheat-forty eight percent to be exact-said it was because they felt disconnected from their wives. You have nothing to worry because other than my mother, you are the first person to whom I have felt 100% connected."

Spencer claimed her lips in a kiss and moved on top of her. They continued kissing and he moved his hand up her tank top.

"I think Austin's intentions are pure, but even if they weren't, it doesn't make a difference because the jaws of life couldn't pry me away from you."

Spencer and Lila continued kissing and it wasn't long until Austin was the furthest thing from either of their minds.


	26. Chapter 26Surprise Call

Chapter Twenty-Six-Surprise Call

"Eventually you will come to understand that love heals everything, and love is all there is."~Gary Zukav

It was sometime later and Spencer and Lila were reclining in bed, their bodies temporarily satiated and partially clothed. Spencer was clad in Star Trek themed boxers and looking through the photographs Lila had had developed. They were still in the envelope because Lila knew he would want to help organize them. And speaking of Spencer's other half, she was snuggled close to him, working on her knitting. It had been years since Lila had done anything crafty, so she wanted to practice before starting Spencer Jr's quilt. 

Lila decided to make the scarf extra special by using golden yellow, black, and white yarn, remniscent of the colors of Captain Kirk's shirt. Spencer immediately realized what she was doing and that made him love her that much more. As Lila worked her needles, Spencer rested a hand on her leg. Their happy silence was interrupted by the piercing sound of the phone ringing. Spencer gave her leg a gentle squeeze as he answered the phone.

"Hello?" he said, his buttery smoothe voice making Lila melt.

"Umm, hello Spencer. Is Lila there?" Spencer immediately recognized the voice as Lila's father, who happened to sound rather nervous at the moment. He was clearly testing the waters, wanting to see if Lila was genuine in her claim of wanting to repair their relationship.

"Yes she is," Spencer replied, handing the phone to Lila.

"Who is it?" she asked, surprised someone was calling the apartment for her. This was the first time anyone had ever called this number for her.

"Answer it and find out," Spencer said, giving his wife a sexy wink.

Lila giggled and held the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" she said, relieved in the knowledge that it wasn't a member of the press or her mother.

"Hello Lila," Harry said, the nerves apparent in his voice.

"D...Dad! Hi, how are you?" Lila said, shocked at the sound of his voice.

She had honestly believed that her father wouldn't make good on his promise to work on their relationship, no matter how much she wanted to be closer to him. With all her heart Lila wished she was as close to Harry as Ashley was. Ashley was a total daddy's girl and it was obvious to all that Harry was equally besotted by her.

"I'm fine, thank you. I know the last thing you want to do on your honeymoon is talk to your father, so I will keep this brief."

"Don't be silly, umm...Dad. We can talk as long as you want," Lila said nervously. No matter how often Lila had called him that, it still felt awkward, given the fact that she had sometimes referred to him as Harry.

"Well, I guess first of all I want to thank you for the Father's Day card. I didn't expect you to remember, given your recent nuptuals, so that was a nice surprise."

The truth was Lila hadn't always contacted him on Father's Day, since in the past she was busy working or was just too uncomfortable to call. Between her sister and brothers, Lila figured he didn't really miss her anyway. He always seemed to prefer their cards and gifts over hers.

"I'm glad you liked it. I hope Debra, Ash, and the boys did something special for you."

****Author's note: a few weeks after naming Lila's brothers it finally dawned on me just how awful Conner Archer and Cooper Archer sounded. As much as I like those names on their own, that's just too much "er" sound for one name, so I have renamed the boys. The boys are now Hayden and Antonio Archer.****

"After church we went out on the boat for the day before going home for a barbeque. I know it's still early, but did you and Spencer do anything special that day?"

"As a matter of fact we did," Lila replied. "after scheduling my first doctor's appointment, we went to the fair. After we returned home I gave Spence a Father's Day card and..."

Lila paused, wondering if she should continue. Although Spencer thought the gift was precious, she wondered what someone else would think. Sensing Lila's hesitation, Spencer gave her a nod of encouragement and gently rubbed her back.

"I...I found a website online that can take the image of two people and compile it together to show what their future children will look like, so...so that's what I did for Spencer. I had the image of a boy and a girl created since we have yet to discover the gender of our child. The website could even guess the child's height based on the information of the parents."

**(**Author's Note: I know I just randomly added that, but the other day I realized I completely forgot about Father's Day and felt as though I needed to make amends.)**

"Oh well, isn't that...modern," Harry said, not really knowing what to say.

"Well, Spence liked it," Lila replied, feeling her face turning bright red, immediately feeling stupid for sharing such intimate information.

"Lila, please don't misunderstand me, I think it's an adorable idea," Harry said quickly, sensing Lila's discomfort. No matter how much he wanted to bond with his oldest child, he always managed to mess up. He wished he knew what to do: he got along great with his three other children.

An awkward silence lingered in the air before Harry spoke again. "The other reason I'm calling is because as you know it's Hayden's birthday on Saturday, so if you and Spencer aren't busy, we would like to invite you over for the weekend. He wants to play laser tag and we're having a pizza party afterwards."

"Spencer and I would love to come," Lila said, looking at Spencer, who gave her an approving smile.

"Excellent, Hayden will be thrilled to see you," Harry replied, thrilled that Lila had accepted his invitation. He hoped that this birthday party would be a step in the right direction.

"The party starts at one, but you and Spencer are welcome to come earlier if you would like. We could even ride to the party together if that is something you and Spencer feel comfortable doing."

"We could do that," Lila agreed, trying to make this easier for her father. She appreciated how hard he was trying.

"Hayden and Antonio will be so excited to see the both of you. They told me they think it's 'cool' to have an FBI agent as a brother-in-law and liken to something of a super hero."

"They're aren't the only ones," Lila replied, resting her hand on Spencer's leg.

"Yes, well, I guess we'll see you on Saturday."

"Goodbye."

Harry and Lila both hung up and Lila set the phone on the nightstand. Spencer was looking at her with an amused grin on his face.

"The boys think I'm a super hero?" he asked, amused and flattered.

"Well, you are. You have rescued me in more ways than I can count," Lila replied, kissing him on the lips.

Spencer blushed and Lila rested her head on his shoulder. Spencer was still looking at pictures and Lila decided to join him. She smiled as they looked at pictures of the two of the at the conservatory together for the first time.

"I miss Saul and Karla," Lila said.

"So do I," Spencer replied. "we'll have to visit them the next time we go to Vegas."

"I assume that will be Thanksgiving. You do visit your mother on holidays, right?"

"Of course I do, but I didn't want to assume that that's what we're doing this year. You have a family as well, love."

"Yes, but Dad and Deb have Ash and the boys and your mother only has us. It's only right that we see her."

"That's a lovely thing to say, Lila, but I don't want you to feel as though you have to forgo holidays with your family for my benefit."

"Spence, you know I love spending time with your mother and besides, I haven't always spent the holidays with my family. Sometimes I was busy working or just needed to be alone. After...after what happened with Maggie I shut myself off from everyone for the rest of the year and rarely left home."

Spencer pulled her close and hugged her tightly, wishing he could rid his wife of unpleasant memories. Lila kissed his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Spence, do you think we could go to Michael's today? I would like to buy scrapbooking supplies so we can get started on our scrapbooks. I would also like to buy Hayden's birthday present."

"We can go to Michael's if you would like and I actually have an idea for Hayden's birthday present."

"What do you have in mind?" Lila asked, her curiousity peaked.

"You'll see," Spencer replied, giving his wife a wink as he got out of bed and pulled her up with him. "let's get dressed."

"Yes dear," Lila replied, following Spencer to their dresser so they could find something to wear.

Spencer and Lila dressed quickly before leaving their apartment hand-in-hand, ready for their shopping excursion to begin.


	27. Chapter 27Crafty Activities

Chapter Twenty-Seven-Crafty Activities

"In all things there are three choices: yes, no & no choice, except in this-I either choose the truth or I am deceit."~Francis Cardinal Spellman

It was sometime later and Spencer and Lila were wandering the aisles of Michael's. Shortly before their arrival, Spencer revealed his idea for Hayden's gift. Since the young boy was so enamored with the FBI, Spencer decided to make the young man an honorary member of the FBI. The first item on Hayden's honorary agent package was a black bullet proof vest with "FBI" emblazed on it. The second item on the list was a custom made badge and the final item was a pair of handcuffs.

In keeping with his law enforcement theme, Spencer also purchased a few books on crime scene investigation, criminology, and victimology. For her part, Lila decided to place some cash in a card, since she knew nothing she purchased would ever be as cool as Spencer's idea. She knew Hayden would adore his presents and treasure them for the rest of his life. She wouldn't be surprised if they had a budding FBI agent in the family.

With Hayden's gift securely procured, they were now on the hunt for scrapbooking equipment. Not only were they going to make scrapbooks of their Las Vegas trip together, but they were also going to make one of the pregnancy. They were now looking at paper and Lila held up a piece that had a baby blue cloud pattern with blue baby feet on the sides.

"What do you think of this?" she asked.

"I think I like it better in pink," Spencer replied, winking at her as he selected the pink option.

"Why am I not surprised?" Lila asked with a laugh, placing her preference in the cart.

Spencer placed his selection in the cart and they continued to make their selections. Lila smiled as she selected a cream colored paper with gold wedding bells on it.

"So, Spence, what are you going to do to occupy your time when I'm at my therapy session tonight?" she asked.

"Sit in the lobby and wait for you," Spencer replied, giving her an adoring smile.

"Spence, that is an incredibly sweet gesture, but you don't have to do that. Why don't you do something fun?"

"But I can only have fun when I'm with you," Spencer replied, pulling her close.

Lila giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he began to kiss her neck. "Spence, you are the sweetest husband in the world. I think I'm going to go into diabetic shock because of just how sweet you are."

"If that happens, do I get to give you mouth to mouth?" Spencer asked, moving his eyebrows up and down as he gave her a mischevious grin.

"Spence, you don't have to have an excuse to do that: just being you is good enough."

Spencer continued kissing her neck and Lila moaned, wanting nothing more than to throw him against the shelf and have her wicked way with him. As he continued kissing and branding her, she spoke again.

"Spencer, I appreciate your support and I love how you are always there for me, but I think I would feel better if I went to my therapy session alone. I would feel guilty if I made you sit in the lobby bored for no reason. You should do something for yourself: maybe you could go visit the team for a while. I know you must miss them: this is the longest you have been apart from them."

"That is true," Spencer admitted. Although he loved his wife more than life itself, he did miss the team. It felt strange not to be with them, solving cases and just being together. Over the years they had become more than just coworkers: they were a family.

"Well, there you go, love: doesn't that sound more fun than waiting around for me?"

"I think both options are appealing in their own right," Spencer replied, ever the loving, doting husband.

Lila kissed him and they began to walk towards the next aisle. It was at that moment that Spencer's cellphone rang. He reached into his pocket and looked over at his wife.

"Go ahead, babe, I'll catch up in a minute," he assured her.

Lila nodded and walked down the aisle. Spencer pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, curious as to who was calling him. He wondered if it was Morgan or Prentiss or someone else from the team. When he looked at his caller ID he was shocked at the name that appeared. He answered the phone and held it to his ear

"Hello, Austin, how are you?"

"I'm great, Spencer, just getting in some last minute studying before work. How are you?"

"I'm well. Lila and I are out shopping."

"Shopping? Well, it's nice to see she's training you early," Austin teased.

"Lila isn't 'training' me," Spencer said, disliking that term because it likened him to a dog. "we had to pick up a few things and besides, Lila doesn't have to 'train' or cajole me to do things with her. I love spending time with my wife and it is my greatest joy to make her happy."

"Aww, well, aren't you just the sweetest husband on the whole entire planet," Austin replied, envious of her blonde competitor and looking forward to replacing her.

Spencer said nothing, so Austin continued speaking. "So, the reason I'm calling is if you and Lila aren't busy I hoping the two of you could come to Cayote Joe's and visit me."

"Hmm, I don't know, Austin. Lila has a doctor's appointment this evening and besides, she shouldn't be anywhere near a bar in her condition."

"Well, what about you, Spencer? Do you have to accompany Lila to her doctor visit or are you free or a little while?"

"Lila said I could have some time for myself I I wanted to, but I don't know if it's appropriate for you and I to socialize so much alone. I don't want her getting the wrong idea."

"She can't get the wrong idea if we're not doing anything wrong. We are just two friends who enjoy each other's company. Please Spence, please come and see me tonight. Even Lila said you could do whatever you want with your free time."

"But you don't start work until nine o'clock and Lila should be home by then. I don't want to keep her waiting."

"Well then come over to my apartment and we can hang out before I have to go to work. I'll even make you dinner since Lila won't be home and I know you can't cook."

"A homecooked meal does sound nice," Spencer admitted. Austin was a wonderful cook and her specialty was fried chicken, which she jokingly said she made in hopes of fattening Spencer up a bit.

"Perfect. What time is Lila's appointment tonight?"

"Six."

"Then why don't you come over around six thirty or seven? Here, let me give you directions to my apartment."

Before Spencer could respond, Austin rattled off the address to him. As it turned out, her apartment complex was only twenty minutes away from his. Spencer found to be convenient, since that meant he wouldn't have to keep Lila waiting when it was time to leave. He agreed to see her and after saying their goodbyes, they hung up. Spencer placed his phone back in his pocket and went to rejoin his wife.

He found her inspecting scissors and paper cutters and other scrapbooking essentials. She looked so beautiful in her khaki shorts and white eyelit tank top and he was so happy and thankful she was his. He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck with his face. Lila giggled and turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I guess that call was good news," she said, a moan escaping from her lips.

"You are so beautiful, fleur. I love how sexy you look in these shorts," he said, his hand disappearing into the garment, grasping her bottom. At that moment, Austin was the furthest thing from his mind. In fact, he wasn't thinking of her at all.

"Who knew khakis were such an aphrodisiac," Lila said, her body melting as his fingers carassed her bottom.

"Every part of you makes me weak with desire. You are so...palatable."

"I feel the same way about you," Lila replied, kissing her husband on the lips.

Lila was curious about Spencer's phonecall, but decided not to pry. She trusted her husband implicitly and knew he would talk to her about it when he was ready. With only happy thought in her mind, Lila snuggled close to her amazing husband and enjoyed the rest of the time they spent together walking around the craft store.


	28. Chapter 28Intelligent Man:Stupid Choices

Chapter Twenty-Eight-Intelligent Man: Stupid Choices

"Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices." ~Alfred A. Montapert

It was close to six thirty when Spencer was walking up to Austin's apartment building. Lila had left for her first appointment with Dr. Blackhope an hour ago and Spencer was missing her already. After clearing the shelves of every possible scrapbooking essential, the newlyweds returned home and immediately got to work creating a momento of their magical Vegas adventure. Although Spencer had an eidetic memory, it was still wonderful reliving their time together by looking at the photos.

Somehow, scrapbooking brought out the randiness in the couple and they made love in the dining room, with Lila stradding him in a chair. The afternoon past quickly for the lovebirds and they were saddened when it was time for Lila to leave for her appointment. She promised to let him know when she arrived at her appointment and when she was leaving, so Spencer could be assured of her safety.

Although they hadn't been apart long, Spencer was already lonely for her company and replayed their telephone conversation over and over again in his mind. He ran his fingers through his hair before ringing Austin's buzzer. He had changed clothes before coming over and looked delectible in dark jeans and dress shirt. In his hands he carried a bakery box, containing chocolate chip cheesecake, Austin's favorite.

Within moments Austin buzzed him in and he walked inside. She was on the third floor, so he walked up the stairs. His long longs enveloped the stairs in record time and he was now standing in front of her door. Her apartment was the last one to the left and had a green welcome mat in front, as well as a plastic potted plant on a nearby ledge. He knocked on the door and didn't have to wait long for it to open.

"Hey Spence, come on in," Austin said, a huge grin on her face as she stepped aside to let him in.

"You didn't ask who was there when I rang the buzzer," Spencer replied, stepping inside.

"Because I knew it was you silly boy," Austin replied, shutting the door behind her.

"Still, you should have double checked. Do you know often crimes are perpetrated in apartment buildings because the criminal was allowed entrance into the building?"

"Considering that I am a Criminal Justice major, yes, I am well aware of those statistics," Austin replied. "I was also aware that it was you buzzing because I saw you walking up to the building."

"Oh, I see," Spencer replied, blushing slightly, offering Austin the bakery box.

"Oh Specer, you didn't have to bring me anything," Austin replied, thanking him as she accepted the box. This evening was going even better than she had hoped.

"It's rude to come to someone's house for dinner without bringing anything," Spencer said with a shrug.

Austin smiled and opened the box, curious to see what he had brought her. She squeeled when the contents of the box were revealed to her.

"Chocolate chip cheesecake-my favorite! Alright, Spencer, you're right, it's always a good idea to bring your host a present."

"I just remembered that that was your favorite dessert," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"You have an eidetic memory-you remember everything."

"True," Spencer said with a laugh.

"Would you like something to drink?" Austin asked, walking into the kitchen so she could place the dessert in the refrigerator until after dinner.

"Water is fine," Spencer replied, following her into the kitchen.

"Water, really are you sure? I have beer, wine...I can make you a drink. Who doesn't love a margarita with their fried chicken?" she asked, giving him a little wink.

"Bottled water is fine," Spencer said with a chuckle. He wasn't a big drinker and in fact, only really liked wine.

"As you wish," Austin replied, handing him a bottled water and grabbing one for herself. Part of her wished he had requested alcohol so she could get him drunk and have her way with him.

"Thank you," Spencer replied before taking a sip.

"Anytime," Austin replied, wishing she was the bottle.

"So...where is this fried chicken you speak of?" Spencer asked, looking around the kitchen.

"I put everything in the oven so it wouldn't get cold," Austin explained. "why don't you have a seat and I'll bring everything to the table?"

"I can help you," Spencer said, walking towards her as she opened the oven door.

"Nonsense, Spencer, you are a guest: please relax."

"I would really feel much more relaxed if I helped you. Just because I am a guest doesn't mean you have to wait on me hand and foot."

"That's what you have a wife for," Austin joked, giving him a little wink as she carried the tray of fried chicken to the dining room table.

"Lila doesn't 'wait' one me: just because she is my wife that doesn't mean she is my servant. We are equal partners in our relationship and take care of each other."

"Oh, well, isn't that...politically correct of you," Austin replied.

She couldn't imagine any of the other men she had been with saying that. In fact, Spencer was the only man she had been with that paid for dates, opened the door for her, and kissed without the expectation of going further. When they were together she found his behavior sort of wimpy, almost unmanly: now she wanted to experience it full time, forever.

"It's the truth: Lila is my wife and I love her more than anything in the world. I love making her happy and she has enriched my life beyond measure. In fact, I don't think I really began living until I had her in my life."

Spencer paused and looked at Austin as she stared at him, her eyebrows raised.

"Sorry," he replied, setting a bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.

"It's alright, Spencer, I understand. I'm glad you found someone who makes you so happy," she replied, setting down a bowl of her special green beans.

Spencer really wasn't a green vegetable fan, but he loved Austin's green beans: she baked them in the oven and tossed in bacon, garlic, and olive oil for extra flavor. They were finished setting them table and it was time to sit down. Spencer pulled out Austin's chair and she thanked him. She sat down and he pushed in the chair before taking his place across from her. They placed their napkins on their laps and filled their plates.

"How on earth are you able to put away so much food and remain so skinny? You should bottle that secret and sell it to the rest of us," Austin joked.

"Before I met you and Lila, I never had anyone to cook for me. I work all the time, so I don't have the strength or desire to spend what little free time I have in the kitchen."

"So you just survive on obscene amounts of coffee and Indian take out."

"There is nothing obscene about coffee: coffee is a beautiful thing, especially when it is paired with just the right amount of sugar."

"And by 'right amount', you mean an entire bag."

Spencer laughed since Austin wasn't too far off-base. "You sound like my wife. The first night she was in our apartment she decided to clean out our refrigerator and cupboards. She too wondered why I needed so much sugar...among other things."

"Now that is a funny image: a Hollywood starlet playing housekeeper," Austin said, doing her best to keep her tone playful when all she could feel was jealousy. She had never even been to Spencer's apartment. When they were dating he said he wanted to take things slow and inviting her over was a big step.

"She's so much more than just a housekeeper. She's my wife, mother of my unborn daughter, best friend, lover..."

Austin raised her eyebrows again and Spencer blushed, realizing what he just said. Considering their history, he knew it must be strange for her to hear him blather on and on about another woman, especially since Lila made him come to life in ways Austin never had. Austin was a wonderful woman, but Lila made him blossom. She was the most amazing person Spencer had ever met and he sometime wondered if she was real or just his fantasies come to life.

"Sorry," Spencer murmured again, his face beat red as his gaze lowered to his plate.

"It's alright, Spencer, really, I'm a big girl. I can handle it."

Spencer said nothing and placed a forkful of food into his mouth. Austin wanted to salvage their conversation, so she continued speaking.

"What's this about you having a daughter? I thought Lila's pregnancy was still too early for the sex of the child to be determined."

"You are correct: it will be a few weeks before we definitively know the gender of our child. Although gender is more easily determined at twenty weeks, somewhere between ninety five to one hundred percent, in some circumstances gender can be determined at sixteen or even eleven or twelve weeks. However, as the correct visualization of any fetal part depends on a host of factors such as fetal position, amount of amniotic fluid and thickness of the abdominal wall, an ultrasound may not be able to determine the gender of the baby even at twenty eight weeks."

Spencer noticed Austin's eyes start to glaze over, so he decided to stop while he was ahead. When they were dating there were times she would actually doze off while he was speaking.

"Of course, maybe it's just wishful thinking. I would love a house full of little Lilas," he said before shoving more food into his mouth.

"Whereas she wants a house full of Spencers I'm sure," Austin replied.

"We have been having friendly debates about that ever since we found out about the pregnancy. I think she should accept the fact I am always right, whereas she thinks I should accept her mother's intuition."

"I guess you'll find out soon enough. For what it's worth, I'm on your side," Austin said, reaching her hand out to grasp his.

"Umm, thanks," Spencer said, pulling his hand away after a few moments, blushing again.

"Anytime," Austin replied, winking at him again.

They spent the next two and a half hours lingering over their meal, enjoying their food and conversation. They were now enjoying slices of cheesecake and coffee. Although Austin liked to tease Spencer about the amount of sugar he put in his, she was just as bad. Spencer looked at the clock and realized it was twenty after eight: Austin was due at work at nine o'clock.

"Austin, I hate to cut this short, but you have to get to work and I need to go home to my wife."

"Why don't you come with me? Lila won't mind if you stop in for a quick drink."

Spencer looked hesitant, so Austin continued. "Spencer, it won't take long and besides, it's healthy for couples to stend time apart and do things without each other. It makes the heart grow fonder and all that romantic shit."

"How is it you are still single?" Spencer asked, laughing as he helped Austin load the dishwasher and put away the leftovers.

"I have no idea," Austin replied, eyeing him with appreciation as she watched him lean over to load the dishwasher.

Once everything was clean and in its place, Austin looked at him, awaiting his decision. "So what do you say? How does a free drink sound?"

"I suppose I could top in for a drink, but only if I pay for it. I don't want you getting fired or spend your money on me."

"You really are too old fashioned for your own good, do you know that?"

"I think you and my wife are going to get along famously," Spencer said.

"Oh I'm sure we will," Austin replied.

She disappeared into her bedroom and returned a few minutes later clad in black pants and black ribbed, v-neck tank top. She was wearing dramatic makeup and the oddest shoes Spencer had ever seen. They were suede peeptoe booties with a faux, silver reptile skin pattern. The heels on her shoes were four inches high, so she was now almost as tall as he was. Spencer eyed her up and down, the amusement on his face.

"How in the world are you going to work all night in those things?" he asked. He was so glad his wife had enough sense to wear shoes that couldn't double as deadly weapons.

"A bartender never reveals her secrets," Austin said, swatting him with her purse.

Spencer laughed and followed Austin out of the apartment. After she made sure her door was securely locked, they left the apartment building together. After Spencer escorted Austin to her car, he walked off towards his and climbed inside. He started the engine and followed Austin to the bar.


	29. Chapter 29The Healing Begins

Chapter Twenty-Nine-The Healing Begins

"We may define therapy as a search for value."~ Abraham Maslow

As Spencer was playing with fire, Lila felt as if she were in a frying pan herself. She was sitting in the waiting room of Dr. Blackhope's office and she was incredibly nervous. Despite all the issues she had, she had never sought psychological treatment. In fact, as far as she was aware, no one in her family had ever sought professional help. She nervously smoothed the skirt of her dress, her anxiety building as she waited for her name to be called.

It was at that moment she wished Spencer was with her. She looked at her cellphone, wondering what he was doing. She had called him when she arrived at the office and they spoke for a few minutes. He hadn't said anything more than he planned to have dinner with a friend. Lila had a sneaking suspicision who that "friend" was, but she hoped she was wrong.

Although she trusted Spencer, she didn't trust Austin at all. There was something about her that sent a chill down her spine. It was at moment she heard her name called and she looked up, curious, anxious, and terrified, having no idea what to expect.

Standing a few feet away from her was a woman of Mexican descent in a navy blue tailored suit. She appeared to be 5'2 with wavy brown hair, which she had pulled into a bun. She had a narrow waist, ample bust, and generous rear end. Lila could feel her nerves mounting, but some of them dissipated when the woman smiled at her. The smile was warm and inviting and made her brown eyes sparkle.

"Hello, there. You must be Lila," the woman said. Her voice had a low, husky, yet feminine voice.

"Y...yes. You must be Dr. Blackhope," Lila replied, placing her cellphone in her purse as she stood up.

"Please, call me Soshi: everyone does," she replied, extending her hand to Lila as Lila walked over to her.

"Soshi, that is an interesting name," Lila commented.

"My birthname is Xochitl, but everyone just calls me Soshi: it's rolls off the tongue easier."

"S-oh-cheel: that's an Aztec name, isn't? It means...flower?"

"Yes, Lila, you are correct. Most people don't know that unless they are of Mexican or Aztec descent," Soshi replied, looking impressed.

"I may not have an ounce of Mexican or Aztec blood in my veins, but other cultures fascinate me. I'm also a bit of a holticulture fanatic, so anything having to do with flowers catches my attention."

"I am remiss in saying that I have something of a black thumb, as are my parents. They just liked the name."

Lila nodded and Soshi led her into her office. Soshi's office was painted a calming light blue and the furniture was made of lightly colored wood. The entire off had a calming feel to it, almost as if they were being enveloped into a cluster of clouds. Soshi observed Lila looking around the office and smiled.

"I may not have a couch, but those chairs are pretty comfortable," Soshi replied, gesturing towards the overstuffed arm chairs.

"I was actually admiring your bookshelf. You have exquisite taste," Lila replied, sitting in a chair that was positioned in front of the desk.

"Thank you," Soshi replied, walking around her desk and sitting down. She noticed Lila still looked ill at ease, so she decided to set her at ease.

"I'm guessing this is your first time in a psychiatrist's office," Soshi stated more than asked.

"This is the first time anyone in my family has visited a psychiatrist," Lila replied, looking around, her eyes focused on the framed degrees and awards proudly displayed on the walls.

"Lila, I want you to know that you are safe here. Everything you say will remain between us, so please feel free to speak freely. Despite common sterotypes, seeking professional help does not make you 'weak' or 'crazy', or in any way inferior. Plenty of normal, sane people seek professional help evveryday, so you are not alone."

Lila said nothing, so Soshi continued. "I understand that this is difficult for you and it will take time for you to feel comfortable around me. I know you have some issues to overcome and the only way you can do that is if learn to trust me. I was thinking perhaps I could tell you a little bit about myself so can see I'm more than just a 'shrink.'"

Lila's mouth twitched slightly with amusement, so Soshi continued. "I am originally from Anaheim, California, and the youngest of two children. I have an older brother, David Daniels, from my mother's first marriage. He's turning fifty next month, so we are almost eighteen years apart. My birthday is January 11 and yes, all of the Capricorn traits apply to me."

Soshi also told Lila about her education and professional background. After earning her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Stanford University, she moved to England and earned her master's degree from Oxford University. Upon her return to the states, she earned her Ph.D from Harvard University at the age of twenty-six.

Then she moved to Washington D.C. and worked in an office with other psychiatrists before striking out on her own two years ago. She was extremely close to Andrew, Laura, Maxwell, Marilyn, so many of her patients were referrals from them. Not only was Soshi an excellent psychiatrist, but she also had expertise in the treatment of eating disorders.

Ordinarily sessions with Soshi only lasted an hour, but in Lila's case she decided to schedule her for two hours, at least for a while. She knew Lila had severe trust issues and it would take a considerable amount of time for her to open up. Soshi watched as Lila lovingly caressed her belly and decided that could be a safe topic for them to discuss.

"How do you feel about first time motherhood?" Soshi asked.

"Over the moon; Spence and I are both so thrilled at the prospect of becoming parents," Lila replied, beaming as she continued rubbing her belly.

"That's wonderful to hear. I'm sure it hasn't been easy having the glare of the media focused on the two of you."

"The media focus has been difficult," Lila admitted. "but Spence has been amazing. He is so sweet and so supportive. In fact, he is the one who really encouraged me to see you."

"It must feel very comforting to have a such a solid support system," Soshi replied.

"It is. You know, most people run for the hills when they catch even a glimmer of how messed up I am, but Spencer knows me inside and out and he's still here and still loves me," Lila said, almost mystified by this.

"Of course your husband is still here. You are a lovely person with many wonderful, likable qualities."

"My husband certainly thinks so," Lila replied neutrally, not quite getting her allure, but not wanting to say that.

"I'm pleased to hear that, but more importantly, _you _need to think that. Lila, I think it's wonderful that your husband is so sweet and so supportive, but you need to be here for yourself. The only way you will be able to conquer your demons is if _you _have resolved to conquer them."

"I do want to conquer my demons. Seeking professional help has been on my mind for many years, but I just never had the...courage?, I guess, to follow through. Spencer may have encouraged this decision, but it was still mine. Dr. Blackhope, I want, I _need_, to be here. I am starting a new life, so I want to rid myself of the demons of my past."

"I'm pleased to hear that and please, call me Soshi."

"Alright...Soshi."

The rest of the session past quickly and it wasn't long until it was time to leave. Soshi and Lila rose from their seats and Soshi escorted her out of her office. Lila looked around and realized they were the only two left in the building.

"Am I your last patient?" Lila asked.

Soshi nodded before continuing. "The patient before you left at five. I wanted to make sure you left undistured before and after your appointment: I know all the media and public attention can sometimes make you feel less than human and I don't want you to feel that way here. I want your focus to remain solely on getting well."

"Thank you, Soshi, I appreciate that. I do hope I'm not too much of an inconvenience for you. I hate to think that I am the reason you are keeping later hours to which you are accustomed, or causing you to fall behind on other things."

"Lila, you are the furthest possible thing from an inconvenience and you're not even on my top ten list of most difficult patients. The only things you are keeping me from are laundry and housework and believe me, it is not your fault I am behind."

Lila laughed and Soshi continued. "As a matter of fact, Lila, how would you feel about home visits? I sometimes do them for patients and they really seem to feel more comfortable and more at ease. We would have to utmost privacy and the paparazzi wouldn't be able to hound you."

"I do like the sound of that," Lila admitted. "as long as that is convenient for you."

"What is convenient for my patients is convenient for me," Soshi assured her. "If possible, I would like to see you again on Monday. Are evening appointment preferrable for you or would you prefer mornings?"

"It honestly doesn't make a difference to me. When are you free?" Lila asked.

"I'm free when you want me to be," Soshi replied, wanting Lila to put her needs and desires first and make a decision without worrying about pleasing someone else.

"Hmm, well..." Lila said, considering her options for a moment. "I like mornings."

"I have openings at eight and nine o'clock," Soshi replied. On Mondays she didn't start seeing patients until ten so she could use the early morning to finish paperwork and other errends.

"I'll take the nine o'clock," Lila said. Since she and Spencer were going away for the weekend, she wanted to give them time to sleep in and rest after their long weekend. Besides, Spencer was especially randy in the morning, so she wanted to reserve the early morning for newlywed fun.

"Perfect," Soshi replied.

Since they were the only ones left in the building, Soshi decided to walk Lila to her car. As they walked, Lila suddenly remembered something.

"Soshi," she said. "Spence and I have purchased a home in Quantico and we will be moving as soon as the decorating process is complete. Will that be too great of a distance for you to drive?"

"Not at all, Lila: just make certain to give me the address when you have moved."

"I will do that," Lila promised.

The two women said their goodbyes and after climbing into their respective vehicles, drove off in opposite directions.


	30. Chapter 30 The Seeds Are Growing

Chapter Thirty-The Seeds Are Growing

"There is nothing more deadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills."~ Buddha

It was eight o'clock the next morning when Lila woke up. She covered her mouth and yawned before stretching. She looked over at Spencer, who was still fast asleep. It was about eight thirty when she came home, only to discover her husband was nowhere to be seen. She tried calling him a few times, but to no avail.

She may not have an eidetic memory or an IQ of 187, but she was smart enough to know where, or rather, _who_, he was with, and honest enough with herself to admit she didn't like it. Although she trusted her husband, it was his companion whom she wanted to throddle. Any woman who spent that much time with another woman's husband was clearly up to no good. Lila didn't know when exactly when her husband returned home: she finally gave up and went to bed at eleven. Judging from how soundly he was sleeping, Lila decided it was safe to assume he wasn't one of the first patrons to leave.

Spencer was passed out beside her, clad in only his boxers and his mouth ajar. His body was sprawled all over the bed and there was little, if any, space between them. Ordinarily Lila loved snuggling with her husband, but when he smelled of seedy pub and seedier pub whore, it sort of soured the mood. Lila crawled out of bed and proceeded to get dressed, since she had showered before going to sleep.

She threw on white shorts and a shirt sleeved green, purple, white, and yellow plaid button down shirt. After brushing her teeth and hair, she decided to walk down to the mailbox and retrieve their mail. She placed her house and mailbox keys in her pocket, slipped into her flip flops, and walked out of the apartment. On her way down the stairs she also pulled her hair into a messy bun, holding it in place with a hair tie.

As she walked down the stairs, she could see the paparazzi camped outside the building, their cameras hard at work. She shook her head and opened the mailbox, looking forward to the day when they would forget who she was. She pulled out the stack of mail out of the mailbox and something caught her eye. Stacked on top of the mailbox was a large stack of magazines and newspapers. She pulled down one of the magazines and examined the cover.

To her horror, the cover picture was of Spencer walking up to Austin's apartment building, dressed to kill, holding what appeared to be a bakery box. The headline read: 'Trouble in Paradise? Has Starlet's Bodyguard Found Another Love?' Lila ripped it opened and quickly read the article. The rag mag journalist breathlessly reported how Spencer and Austin were alone in the apartment for two and a half hours before leaving together.

The article detailed how Spencer escorted Austin to her car and followed her to the bar, where he remained until around twelve thirty. Apparently, Spencer and Austin spoke the entire night in between Austin waiting on customers. Lila looked at the accompanying photos and could see them leaning towards each other, supposedly so they could hear each other over the music. Then, as the cherry on this delightful sundae, Spencer and Austin were photographed hugging before he saw fit to leave and return home to the wife to whom he was supposedly so commited.

Lila skimmed through the rest of the articles, each one pissing her off more than the next. It wasn't just the media's intrusion that made her angry: it was Spencer's lack of judgement. Although she knew Spencer wasn't cheating on her, it upset her that he had felt the need to go behind her back. He knew that his friendship with Austin upset her, but he still continued to see her. Lila just couldn't understand the appeal of Austin's company: she was a shallow, vapid bitch who lacked the patience, compassion, and understanding to discover Spencer's true essence.

To Austin, he was just an awkward, socially inept outcast who hadn't been worthy of he time. Lila wondered if Austin's newfound interest in Spencer was due to the media coverage and her desire to have her own fifteen minutes of fame. Lila skimmed through the garbage in her hands once more, considering her options. Although she was furious at Spencer for his deceitful, stupid behavior, she didn't want this to drive a wedge between them. She threw the magazines and tabloids where they belonged: into the garbage.

Lila wanted to adopt an 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality, but she knew it was going to be a challenge. She also hated the prospect of her husband spending time with that lying, scheming, sneaking, conniving whore of a woman, but she knew it wasn't her place to tell Spencer with whom he could or could not socialize. He was an adult and for better or worse, capable of making his own decisions. She just hoped he was able to put his profiling skills to use before something happened from which there was no return.

With the real mail in hand, Lila made her way up the stairs and unlocked the apartment door. She kicked off her flip flops, set the mail on the dining room table, and walked into the kitchen. She could hear the shower running and wanted to have breakfast ready when Spencer was finished. As she opened the refrigerator door, she could feel a familiar urge brewing inside of her. She pushed those feelings down, not wanting to fall back into old habits and place herself and her child at risk.

She pulled the necesssary items out of the refrigerator and placed them on the counter. As she got to work, she wondered if Spencer would tell her about the events from the other night or try to sweep them under the rug like she was. She frowned thoughtfully as she got to work, wishing she could catch even a glimpse of what was going on in her husband's mind.


	31. Chapter 31 Making Plans

Chapter Thirty-One-Making Plans

"Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves-regret for the past and fear of te future."~ Fulton Oursler

While Lila was worrying about the future and the state of their marriage, Spencer was enjoying a long, leisurely shower. He wished Lila was in here with him, but they could make up for last time later. As he let the water run down his naked body, he thought of the events from the night before. It was strange going out with Lila, but it was still nice spending time with Austin. Not only did he enjoy catching up with her and hearing about the changes in her life, but he also enjoyed showing her just how much he had changed.

It was gratifying to know that Austin was beginning to shed the image of him as an awkward kid and was now seeing him as a man. It was nice to know that she now respected him in a way she never had when they were dating. Now she was actually listening to what he had to say and no longer appeared to be embarassed to be seen with him. Although she was polite enough to feign interest in his rambling in the beginning of their relationship, towards the end her boredom and frustration was made abundendly clear. If she wasn't staring at him in a glazed-over fashion or nodding off, she would simply cry out in frustration as stomp off.

She would even flirt with other men in his presence and pretend as though he wasn't even there. He didn't know if she was doing to garner a reaction out of him or out of a genuine need for someone else, but the feelings of humiliation and rejection were still the same. And the last night he and Austin were together before they broke up...Spencer shuddered at the mortifying memories and scoured the shampoo into his scalp, as if trying to rid himself of those unpleasant memories. He scowled, knowing they would forever be embedded into his psyche because of his damned eidetic memory.

As Spencer rinsed his hair and applied the conditioner, he said a silent prayer of thanks for Lila. His sweet, beautiful, amazing Lila, whom he loved more than life itself. Although he had enjoyed himself last night, coming home to his wife was his crowning glory. Looking at her angelic face as she slumbered filled him with a sense of peace and well being. His first instint was to wake her, but he resisted, knowing she and their daughter needed their rest.

He simply cuddled close and wrapped his arms around her, counting down the hours until she was awake and they could spend the day together. As he let the conditioner set in his hair, he washed his body, wondering if Lila was upset with him for staying out so late. He tried to call her, but the cellphone reception was poor in the bar, so he couldn't get a signal. He hoped she wasn't too upset; the last thing he wanted to do was displease his wife or make her doubt his commitment to her.

Once his body was scrubbed clean, he rinsed the conditioner out of his hair and lingered under the water. After a few minutes, he turned the water off and drew back the shower curtain. He picked up his towel and running it along his head and body, wrapped it around his slender waist. He walked over to the sink and brushed his teeth. Afterwards, he cleaned out the sink and walked back into the bedroom.

He removed the towel and set it on the chair in front of his dresser so he could get dressed. As he removed a pair of boxers from the drawer, his cellphone rang. He slipped the garments on quickly and hurried over to the nightstand. He checked the caller ID and a smile crept onto his face. He answered the phone and held it up to his ear.

"Hello Derek," Spencer said.

"Hello yourself, pretty boy. And how is that gorgeous wife of yours?"

"She's wonderful, thank you. We are just enjoying married life and being together."

"So you're saying she likes being married to a playa?"

"Player-what do you mean?" Spencer asked with a frown.

He pulled an old pair of cargo pants out of the drawer and put them on. He had owned them since college and absolutely loved them. He pulled out an equally old Cal Tech t-shirt out of the drawer and put that on as well.

"Are you telling me you haven't seen today's papers? You are their cover story, kid-well you and your smokin hot ex I should say. I never pegged you as the bar type."

"I'm not really. I decided to drop in last week after...well, anyway, I went inside and discovered she worked there. It turns out Austin moved here to attend George Washington University."

"Uh huh."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Spencer asked, running a comb through his hair. He frowned thoughtfully at his appearance. No matter how hard he tried he always ended up looking like a twelve year old.

"Come on kid, think about it: out of all the places in the world to live, your gal Austin chooses the nation's capital, which is also conveniently where a certain skinny profiler also resides. She could attend college anywhere in the world and yet she chooses a campus that is only minutes away from your apartment complex. You don't have to be a profiler to notice how fishy that looks."

"Austin and I are just friends. She knows I'm a happily married man," Spencer said, a tight knot forming in the put of his stomach. Although he wasn't trying to deceive his wife, he still felt guilty. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt his wife and that was precisely what all of this media coverage would do.

"Look, Spencer, I know you are a good guy and would never intentionally hurt anyone, but please, just be careful. Take from someone who has more experience with the ladies: just because they say something that doesn't make it true. Although Austin might claim to just want to be friends, she may actually be crazy in love with you, waiting for her chance to strike."

"Morgan, please, you are being ridiculous. Austin doesn't love me-she didn't love me when we were dating, so why would she want me now? Hell, I'm still trying to figure out why Lila is so enamored with me."

"Women are difficult, complex creatures with infinite reasons for doing what they do. Chances are, Austin finally realizes the mistake she made in letting such a great guy go and your recent marriage compounds her feelings of what could have been. It's human nature to start wanting something you originally didn't because someone else has it."

"But nothing ever could have happened between Austin and I: I have always been in love with Lila and she knows that. My feelings for Lila were the reason my relationship with Austin didn't work out."

"Hey, you don't have to convince me, kid: just worry about that pretty little wife of yours. Before long pregnancy hormones are going to take over and you don't need to add another woman to the mix. Just remember where your loyalties lie and who loves you, who has always loved you."

"Is there another reason why you called?" Spencer asked, becoming annoyed by the unsolicited advice, mostly because he was feeling like an ass about last night.

"As a matter of fact there is, my prissy little playa. Your BAU family feels that we should celebrate your newly established manhood: the new wife, baby, house. How would you and the missus like to join us for dinner and a movie this evening?"

"We would love that," Spencer agreed, knowing Lila would love to see the rest of the team again.

"Wonderful. The movie starts at eight o'clock, so we were thinking we could go out to dinner afterwards."

"Sounds good," Spencer replied.

"Cool, we'll see you lovebirds tonight. Oh, and Spencer, will you do me a favor?"

"Depends on what it is."

"The next time you decide to get your groove thang on and act like a playa, tell your wife beforehand. If we get another call from her crying over the whereabouts of your skinny, oddly coiffed ass one more time I am kicking your ass."

"Yes Morgan," Spencer replied, laughing in spite of himself.

"That's exactly what I like to hear. I would hate to have to take that hot wife of yours for myself..."

"_Not _funny, Morgan."

"Hey, I found it funny."

"You know what-you are starting to sound an awful lot like my sister-in-law..."

"Wow man, that's cold."

"Hey, I found it funny."

"Dude, I am soooo spitting in your soda."

"Considering the fact I don't drink soda I don't know how that is possible..."

"I'll see you tonight man," Morgan said, chuckling.

Spencer hung up the phone and set it on the dresser. He looked at door and ran his fingers through his hair, knowing he had a lot of making up to do.


	32. Chapter 32And Amends

Chapter Thirty-Two-...And Amends

"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting."~ William Arthur Ward

Spencer nervously walked towards the kitchen, pondering how he should handle the situation. He knew how sensitive his wife was about media coverage, so he felt incredibly guilty for bring thrusting more upon her. He also realized he should have discussed his plans with her first, especially since he knew they would make her unhappy. He finally reached the doorway of the kitchen and just stood there, quietly observing his wife. Her back was to him and he was anxious to see her face. He knew once he looked into her eyes he would know exactly what to do.

Lila could sense her husband's presence behind her and knew she had to get it together. She knew for the sake of their marriage, and her sanity, she would have to find a way to deal with Austin. Although she had never met the woman, she didn't trust her any further than she could throw her and instinctively knew she was up to no good. Still, she knew that if she tried to forbid or limit's Spencer's interaction with her, the temptation would be that much stronger and make Austin seem that much more alluring. The last thing Lila wanted was for her insecurity to drive Spencer into the arms of another woman.

Tears filled her eyes and her hear wrenched at the prospect of losing her husband. Spencer was her world, her heart, her soulmate, and she couldn't begin to imagine life without him. As she wiped the tears from her eyes, Spencer walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his chin in the crook of her neck and kissed the soft, sweet skin.

"Smells good," he murmured.

"I remembered you told me how much you love chocolate chip pancakes," Lila replied, disposing of the last few droplets from her eyes.

"I was talking about you, but yes, the food smells delicious as well," he replied, kissing her neck again.

Lila smiled slightly and continued preparing breakfast. Spencer reached over and turned off the burner, setting the pan off to the side. He also turned off the oven, which is where the bacon was being cooked. He gently turned Lila around and rested his hands on her face. He used the thumb and first two fingers from one hand to tilt her face up so she was looking him in the eye.

The sadness and uncertainty brewing in her gaze was like a knife in his heart. He moved closer to her and gathered her into his arms, kissing her passionately on the lips. When they finally pulled apart, he rested his hands on her face again and looked into her eyes.

"Lila, I am _so _sorry for hurting you. I shouldn't have gone behind your back the way I did and I regret that. The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you," Spencer said, gently wiping her eyes with his thumbs.

"Why did you feel the need to deceive me, Spencer? If you knew seeing Austin would hurt me, why did you do it? Why is this woman so important to you? I...is there something I should know? I know you wouldn't cheat on me, but if you have feelings for Austin I need to know. I...I just want you to be happy, whatever that entails."

Although the prospect of living the rest of her life without Spencer crippled Lila with grief, all that mattered to her was his happiness. If being with Austin made him happy she would let him go. Lila didn't know where she would find the strength to do it, but she would. The pain in her eyes was as intense as it was heart wrenching; she looked as if she were being electricuted. She watched as Spencer took her hand in his and placed it under his shirt, directly on his chest.

She could feel his heart beating against her palm. Lila loved the feeling of his heartbeat; she could only fall asleep if her hand or head was rested on his chest. She ran her fingers along his soft, smooth skin, her eyes meeting his.

"Do you feel that, Lila?" he murmured.

"Yes, it's your heart," she replied, her gaze lowering. Spencer tilted her head so she was looking at him again.

"And what about this, Lila, do you feel this?" he asked, taking her hand and closing his eyes so she could brush them with her fingertips.

"Spence, what are you...?" Lila asked, giving him a puzzled look. She was unable to finish her sentence, however, because Spencer was kissing her again, long and deep, with everything he had.

"Lila, my heart, eyes, love, breath, everything I have, everything I _am_, belongs to you. You are the reason I get out of bed, the sunshine in my life. You are my world and no one is more important to me than you. Austin is nothing to me. She...she's not even a blip in my solar system: you, however, are my entire universe."

"Well then what is the appeal and why weren't you up front with me?"

"I didn't tell you because I knew it would upset you," Spencer admitted. "I wanted to see her, but I didn't want to hurt you in the process. You were at your therapy session and I just needed something to do. Austin made dinner and we hung out until she had to go to work. She invited me to go to the bar with her and I agreed.

I...I lost track of time and I'm sorry. I should have called you-no, I never should have gone. From this moment on I will have absolutely nothing to do with Austin."

"Spencer, no, I don't want you to do that. I don't want to be one of those wives."

"What do you mean 'one of those wives'?" Spencer asked, giving his wife a puzzled look.

"I don't want to be one of those wives who berates their husband and bullies them into behaving a certain way. Spencer, you are a grown man and you have every right to make your own choices and live your life the way you see fit. I have no right to tell you what to do."

"I like being told what to do," Spencer said, giving her an adorable smile.

Lila giggled and Spencer hugged her close. She rested her head on his chest, savoring the feeling of his pounding heart.

"Lila, you are my wife and my choices affect you and our family as well, so you have every right to voice your opinion on what I say and do. I know I can be thoughtless and insensitive at times, but I'm not intentionally trying to hurt you. I'm just trying to figure out what it means to be a husband."

"For what it's worth, Spencer, I think you're a pretty good husband," Lila said, looking up at him.

"It helps when I have an amazingly wonderful wife," he replied, kissing her again.

When their lips finally pulled apart, Lila hoisted herself onto the nearby countertop, the one free of food and cooking utinsils. Spencer stood in front of her and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You are entitled to have a life and friends of your own, Spencer. It's healthy for us to spend time apart and do things independently of each other," Lila replied, even though she preferred the prospect of them spending every waking moment together.

"That is what you are saying, but I know you want the opposite. Admit it Lila, in a perfect world I would be locked away in our bedroom as your sex slave," Spencer said, liking the sound of that.

"I don't have to forcibly detain you to accomplish that," Lila replied, running her finger along the front of his pants, finding exactly what she was looking for.

"True," Spencer said, wanting to rid them both of their unnecessary clothes.

"But seriously, babe, if you want to spend time with Austin, it's fine: just remember you have an adoring wife at home who loves you and worries when you don't call."

"I don't need an eidetic memory to remember that."

"So...is Austin seeing you in a new light? Is she finally realizing just how amazing you are?"

"I don't know about the amazing part, but I think she is seeing me differently. When...when we were dating she just saw me as a kid, but now she sees me as an adult. Now she actually listens when I speak: her eyes haven't glazed over once since we started hanging out again."

"I don't know why they would in the first place: I think you are absolutely fascinating."

Spencer simply blushed and Lila continued speaking. "I can understand your need to spend time with her. You have been hurt by so many different people, so it must be gratifying for you to regain the interest of one of those people. This is sort of your way of settling the score."

"Yes it is," Spencer admitted. "Austin really hurt me when we broke up, so I do like the fact she is seeing me in a new light. My feelings for her haven't, and never will, change, but I like the fact that she is seeing me as a person and not a sideshow."

"Did you know Ted Bundy spent years wooing his ex-girlfriend in an attempt to win her back? It was all part of a ploy to hurt her for breaking up with him, so when she did fall in love with him, he coldly and systematically cut her out of his life. One moment he was introducing her as his fiancee; the next he was loading her into a plane with no intention of ever seeing her again."

"Are you comparing me to one of the prolific, sadistic serial killers of all time?" Spencer asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know you wouldn't bludgeon or strangle me and I would like to think rape and necrophilia are not on your list of favorite pasttimes, but I just found the that similiarity...intriguing. And I know this sounds horrible, but if you were to do that to Austin I wouldn't hold it against you."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, love, but I am not Ted Bundy."

"I know: you are much cuter."

Spencer grinned and Lila pulled him close for another kiss. It wasn't long until their clothes were off and Austin, and breakfast, were long forgotten.


	33. Chapter 33 Surprises

Chapter Thirty-Three-Surprises

"Be ready to be surprised." ~Loesje

It was an hour later and Spencer and Lila were finally tucking into their newly reheated breakfast. They decided to keep things simple and eat in the kitchen. Lila was still sitting on the counter and Spencer was standing next to her, resting his plate against his chest. They were savoring their meal and each other's company, enjoying the comfortable silence. After a while, Spencer set his plate down and looked at Lila.

"Did you know today is our one week anniversary?" he asked, giving her a loving smile.

"I certainly do," Lila replied, giving him a smile of her own. She reached into a nearby drawer and handed him an envelope.

"Happy one week anniversary, babe," she replied.

"Thank you, love," Spencer replied, trading the envelope for a kiss, as well as one of his own.

"We really are quite a pair," Lila said, thanking him with another kiss.

"We certainly are. Did you know paper is considered to be a traditional gift for a first anniversary?"

"Yes I did and I think we both did a wonderful job in keeping with the theme. I wonder what we'll do with our straw and cotton theme," Lila replied, referring to the traditional gifts given on a second anniversary.

"I'm sure we'll think of something," Spencer replied, watching Lila read his card.

The card Spencer gave Lila had a red background with white hearts intertwined. She opened it and in white letters was scrolled an incredibly sweet message. 

_I wonder if you know how special you are_

_I wonder if you know how precious you are_

_I wonder if you know how luck I am_

_To have you in my life_

_My darling Lila, this first week of marriage is everything I thought it would be and more. I love you with everything I am and ever will be. I don't know what I ever did to deserve you, but whatever it is, I'm sure glad I did it! You are the love of my life and I cannot wait to celebrate even more anniversaries with you._

_~Spencer~_

"Oh Spencer, I can't wait either," Lila said, setting down the card so she could pull him close for a hug. She kissed him passionately, then watched as he read his card.

The card Lila gave Spencer had a red rose and star motif. Spencer opened the card and read the message inside.

_Ever since you came into my life_

_you made it so wonderful_

_you make me feel special_

_with everything you do and_

_all that you say..._

_On our special day, I want to_

_tell you from_

_the bottom of my hear that..._

_I am madly in love with you..._

_And will love you forever and ever..._

_Happy Anniversary!_

_Spencer, I love you so much and I feel so happy and so blessed to be your wife. Here's to many more anniversaries in the future!_

_~Lila~ XOXOXOXO_

**Author's Note: these cards and more can be found on 123greetings dot com.

Spencer set the card down on the counter and pulled Lila into his arms. He held her close and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

"I'm the blessed one," he replied, running his fingers through her hair.

"I love you," Lila murmured, tracing his lips with the tip of her index finger.

"I love you," Spencer replied, kissing her index finger, before moving on to her other fingers and thumb.

They lingered quietly in their loving moment before Spencer gently pulled her from the counter. Since they were now clad in only their undergarments, Spencer bent down to retrieve their clothing.

"Do you have something else planned?" Lila asked, knowing that mischevious glimmer in her husband's eyes.

"You'll see, love, but first we need to get dressed first," Spencer said, giving her an adorably coy smile.

"You are just full of surprises my dear," Lila replied, following her husband into the bedroom.

"Only for you, fleur," Spencer replied, pulling her close for a kiss before they finally broke apart to get dressed.


	34. Chapter 34 Flavors of Love

Chapter Thirty-Four-Flavors of Love

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."~ Harriet van Horne

****Author's note: this chapter is dedicated to my lecherous, raunchy, yet delightfully entertaining fan, friend, and self appointed editor Blackhope. Muah!****

It was a short time later and Spencer and Lila were at their destination. When Lila stepped out of the car she was a little surprised by their surroundings. They were in the parking lot of what appeared to be a community center. She grabbed her purse and stepped out of the car. Spencer was holding the door open her for and when she climbed out, he shut it for her.

He locked the doors with the automatic lock and they walked towards the building hand-in-hand. Lila looked over at her husband, desparate for a clue of some kind.

"Spencer, please, the suspense is killing me: what do you have planned for us?" she asked.

"You'll find out soon eough, love," Spencer promised, leading her into the building.

Lila sighed, trying to sound exasperated, but not-so-secretly she was very excited about the little adventure Spencer had planned for them. Spencer kissed her hand and led her down the hall until they reached their destination. When Lila read the sign on the door, she burst out laughing.

"Cooking 101?" she asked, giggling with surprise and delight.

"And that isn't all," Spencer replied, opening his satchel and pulling out a small wrapped package for her.

Lila tore into her present and her amusement increased when she discovered the contents. She pulled out a pink chef's apron and matching hat. Along the chest of her apron and the base of her hat _Madam Chef _was embroidered in a darker shade of pink. Spencer pulled out his own set, although his were in the traditional white. When Lila looked at his, she burst out laughing. His hat and apron were embroidered with _Dr. Chef_.

"Dr. Chef?" Lila asked, biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"Well, I _am _a doctor and technically for the next two hours I will be a chef of some sort," Spencer replied.

"I can't wait to take you home for a private cooking lesson," Lila replied, pulling him close for a kiss.

"Neither can I," Spencer replied, linking his fingers with hers as they entered the classroom.

The room reminded Spencer of his high school science lab, with the linoneum floors and expansive work spaces. He and Lila made their way towards the back of the room and found their desired spot. Spencer and Lila set down their purses and helped each other with their aprons. Moments later, their instructor strolled into the room. She was a middle aged woman with shoulder length brown hair, green eyes, and average attractiveness.

She smiled warmly at the couples sitting before her. This particular cooking class was geared towards newlyweds and there were six couples in total, including the Reids. As Spencer and Lila exchanged a long, lingering kiss, class began.

"Hello everyone; my name is Molly and I am going to be your instructor," the instructor said, smiling warmly at her students. Her gaze narrowed in on Spencer and Lila, who were still kissing in the back of the classroom.

"So if everyone is ready," Molly continued, clearing her throat to catch the attention of the newly embarassed newlyweds. "I would like for class to begin."

Spencer and Lila exchanged glances, their faces an adorable shade of red as Molly continued speaking. Not wanting to be entirely thwarted by the dastardly instructor, Spencer snuck a hand into Lila's shorts, resting it on her buttocks. She was wearing only a thong, so Spencer was able to feel mostly flesh. His mouth watered at the thought of slowly peeling the clothing off of her body. For her part, Lila stood on her tiptoes and began nibbling his neck.

"First of all, I would like to thank each of you for coming today," Molly went on, trying not to stare at the overly affectionate couple in the back of her classroom. The other couples were staring at them, giggling nervously, all while trying to focus on the instructor.

"I know you may think cooking is impossible, something only professionals can do, but I am here to show you that isn't at all true. The purpose of this three week cooking course is to teach simple techniques you can incorporate into your everyday life."

"You look so sexy in plaid," Spencer whispered in Lila's ear, gently tracing the lobe of her ear with his tongue.

"And your Cal Tech shirt is making me so wet. I just want to rip off your clothes and have my way with you right now," Lila cooed back, tracing his arousal with her fingertip.

"I would like to start off by introducing you to some basic cooking utinsils," Molly prattled on, holding up a kitchen knife.

Everyone picked up their knives and Spencer and Lila finally noticed their tables were set up with all of the cooking essentials. Lila picked up her knife, doing her best to pretend as if she were paying attention. However, she had ideas of her own, demonstrated by her hand sneaking under the table towards Spencer's lap. She was thankful they were sitting down and their lower bodies hidden by their table as she unzipped her husband's cargos. Spencer bit his bottom lip, stiffling a moan as Lila's hand disappeared into his pants.

"This is the blade," Molly said, her finger pointing to that very spot on the knife. "and this is the edge," she said, moving her finger down. She named the rest of the knife's anatomy: heel, full tang, rivet, and bolster.

"The most common question I am asked is 'what is the important tool I should own'? The answer is a good chef's knife, also called a French knife. You'll own it forever and you will definately get your money's worth," Molly added.

"You are sooo big," Lila whispered in Spencer's ear, her finger running along his hard, rigid member.

"Fleur, you are going to get us kicked out of class," Spencer whispered back, although he was very close to not caring.

"I'm not so sure I care," Lila whispered back.

Molly identified the rest of the kitchen tools on the table and their uses before she decided to move on. She explained different methods of chopping and other cooking techniques before moving on to the cooking itself. She wanted her students to start with something simple and full proof so they could build their confidence and understand the basic concept. She was having them prepare pasta with garlic and oil, since she felt mastering pasta preparation was essential for any budding chef.

She walked around the room, inspecting her students progress. She stopped and frowned thoughtfully when she arrived at Spencer and Lila's table. Although someone had done a fine job of chopping the parsley, their noodle pot was boiling over and the garlic looked close to extinction.

As she took in the mess before her, Molly's unforgiving gaze bore into the couple standing before her. She felt very strongly that if they had been paying attention to the food as opposed to seeing who could shove whose tongue down whose throat the furthest, this mess never would have happened. She cleared her throat loudly, finally gaining the Reids' attention.

"Your pasta is boiling over," Molly said coldly.

Spencer and Lila didn't hear their instructor, since they were both still too busy playing 'find the tonsils' with each other. It wasn't until Molly was standing a mere hair away and she loudly cleared her throat again that they took notice of their less than amused instructor.

"Your. pasta. is. boiling. over," Molly stated again, saying each word in a firm, careful manner, putting emphasis on each word.

"Oh, right," Lila replied, her face burning as she reluctently pulled herself away from Spencer to tend to the now soggy noodles. She was about to dump the water into the sink before Molly put her hand on her wrist to stop her.

"You'll need a collander first," Molly replied.

Lila blushed and hurriedly retrieved it. As she tended to the noodles, Molly inspected the parsley.

"Who chopped this?" she asked.

"I did," Spencer replied, feeling a bit like a naughty school boy.

"Nicely done," Molly replied, giving him a look that displayed an emotion besides annoyance. "tell me, what is your experience level in the kitchen?"

"I used to cook for my mother when I lived at home," Spencer said with a shrug.

"My Spence is a wonderful cook; he's just too humble to admit it," Lila added, wrapping her arms around Spencer's waist and kissing him passionately on the lips.

"I don't know about the 'wondeful' part, but Mom and I lived to tell about it," Spencer replied, blushing slightly.

"You are a wonderful cook _and _husband," Lila replied, kissing him again.

"Mmm, you taste salty," Spencer replied, in reference to the fact that Lila had sampled some of the noodles. And yes, the noodles were a tad overcooked.

"So do you," Lila replied, giving her husband a naughty grin.

Spencer grinned, knowing exactly what she was referring to. They were about to kiss again when Molly moved closer to them, subtly putting their mating to an end.

"I need you to remove the garlic from the heat and add the parsley, salt and pepper. When you have added those items I want you to stir in the noodles."

"Yes Molly," Spencer and Lila said in unison.

Under Molly's close supervision, Spencer and Lila did just that. Spencer stired the noodles into the pain and plated some of the creation onto a simple white plate for Molly to taste. She eyed th e food suspiciously, every part of her body recoiling, but forced herself to take a bite. As soon as the pasta hit her tongue, she regretted her decision: the garlic was burnt beyond recognition and the noodles like overly salty baby food. She discretely spit her sample into a napkin and looked over at them, ready to render her verdict.

She soon came to the conclusion that her opinion would be entirely lost on Spencer and Lila, since they were passionately kissing again. She gave an exasperated sigh before speaking.

"Dr. and Mrs. Reid, I'm beginning to think that this class may not be for you. I think perhaps you should stay away from cooking, and the kitchen altogether, until your marriage has cooled down a bit."

"Well then I guess that means we're either going to starve to death or eat a _lot _of take out, because I don't see that happening," Lila replied, kissing Spencer again.

"Neither do I," Spencer added, his hand moving into her shorts again.

Under Molly's watchful, and jealous glare, Spencer and Lila gathered their purses and left the room, their lips never parting. As soon as the door of the classroom shut behind them, Spencer pinned Lila against the wall, kissing her passionately. As their tongues frantically danced, their hands moved at a frantic pace. Just as they were about to commit a misdemeenor, the door swung open again.

"Believe it or not, _some _of my students actually want to learn, so I would appreciate it if you took that behavior somewhere else," Molly replied coldly.

Spencer and Lila exchanged glances, doing a very poor job of masking their amusement. Suddenly, Lila was hit with a burst of inspiration. She looked over at Spencer before looking at her teacher. Lila decided it was safe to assume that it has been awhile since the master chef had gotten any.

"Don't hate us 'cuz you ain't us," Lila said, paraphrasing the line her sister had used over and over again.

As Spencer burst into shocked, amused laughter, Lila took his hand and led him to the door, leaving a slackjawed teacher in their wake. They scurried to their car and hurriedly climbed inside. They exchanged glances and dissolved into fits of laughter. They leaned against their seats, resting their hands on their faces.

"I think it's safe to assume we don't have a future in the culinary world," Lila said in between giggles.

"I think it's safe to assume we're going to eat a lot of take out," Spencer added.

"Well, you _do _know of a wonderful Indian restaurant that's open 24/7," Lila replied, moving towards him. She straddled Spencer's lap and kissed him passionately.

"That I do," Spencer agreed, returning the kiss.

Lila returned the kiss and dragged Spencer into the back of their SUV. As they ripped their clothes off, they both said a silent prayer of thanks for tinted windows. Lila pulled Spencer on top of her, kissing him deeply.

"We're finally christening your SUV," she said, her eyes glimmering with naughty excitement.

"And when we're done, we'll move onto yours and the Volvo," Spencer said, giving her a smoldering, sexy look. Lila called it his sex look, and it made her melt everytime.

"It's a deal, Dr. Reid," Lila said, running her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, Mrs. Reid," Spencer said, looking deep into her eyes as he knelt between her legs.

"I love you," Lila replied before cooking became the last thing on either or their minds.


	35. Chapter 35Making the Cut

Chapter Thirty-Five-Making the Cut

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose."~ Tennessee Williams

It was seven o'clock that evening and Spencer and Lila were getting ready for their night on the town. The newlyweds had had a busy day, so their night on the town was greatly anticipated and well earned. Lila was sitting at the dresser combing her hair, happily reflecting on their day's events. Their first anniversary of wedded bliss had been absolutely wonderful and she looked forward to many more.

After making love in the parking lot of their failed cooking class, Spencer and Lila drove to a book store, where they purchased several cook books. They realized that they couldn't live on love, take out, and bodily fluids alone, so they decided to simply have their own cooking classes at home. The truth was, Spencer actually could cook, but was just out of practice because he hadn't really done it since leaving home. Since he had a family of his own, he wanted to reaquaint himself with the kitchen as well as learn some new recipes. His mother's pallet had been fairly simple and at times she hadn't wanted to eat at all.

With their culinary purchases complete, they stopped for a quick lunch before heading over to their new house. Ashley and her design team were hard at work and the house was really coming along. When they were at the house, however, they accidentally let it slip that they were going out with the team later that night. Before they knew what was happening, Ashley and Zoey had invited themselves to their get together. Spencer and Lila were more than a little nervous about what was to come, but they were praying for the best.

As Lila combed her hair, she assessed her appearance in the mirror. Her makeup was kept subtle, since Spencer preferred a fresher look on her. Her curling iron was heating up nearby so she could create loose curls in her hair once she was done combing it. She was also completely dressed, except for her shoes, which were closeby. Lila looked lovely in a sleeveless dress with a v neck and pleated skirt. The top of the dress was black and the skirt was grey with a solid bodice and black lace detail along the hemline.

At that moment Spencer walked into the room, since he was freshening up in the restroom. He looked incredible in dress pants and dress shirt. Although he was wearing a belt, he was wearing no tie, which Lila thought was really sexy. He walked up behind her and gently kissed the top of her head before removing the brush from her hand. Lila could feel herself melt as he started combing her hair for her.

"You look beautiful, love," he said, loving the feel of her silky tresses between his fingers.

"You look pretty sexy yourself, Magic," Lila said, looking up at him adoringly.

Spencer blushed and once her hair was completely combed, he set the brush down and pulled up a chair beside her. He watched as Lila picked up her curling iron and began curling her hair. He found watching her to be absolutely fascinating. He didn't understand why she felt the need to preen so much since he found her absolutely perfect au naturale, but it was still fun to watch.

"I'm really looking forward to tonight, Lila. I like that the team wants to get to know you better."

"I'm excited about tonight, too. I know how important they are to you and I really want them to like me."

"Of course they like you, Lila," Spencer said, resting his hand on her leg. He resisted the urge to move upward since they were kind of pressed for time. "you're a wonderful, amazing, beautiful person, so there is no reason why they wouldn't. And you also make me incredibly happy, which is an added bonus."

Lila beamed at him and continued to fix her hair. Spencer looked at his watch, a little anxious about the time, but not wanting to rush her. As if reading his mind, Lila gave him a little wink.

"I'm almost finished, Spence. We're not going to miss the movie on my account."

"Take your time, love; I'm in no hurry," Spencer assured her.

Lila smiled at him and continued her handy work. As she fussed over her tresses, she looked over and noticed Spencer's man purse resting beside his chair. It amused her that no matter where he went, no matter what he wore, that purse remained firmly at his side. Spencer noticed her staring at his man purse and smiled at her.

"I thought the mystery of my messenger bag was already solved," he said, smiling at her.

"I just like looking at it: it's so...you. It's like your trademark."

"My trademark is the incredible blonde sitting beside me."

"Really? Where is she?" Lila teased, looking around.

Spencer laughed and reached down to pick her feet up off the floor. He rested them on his lap and began to massage them. Lila leaned back in her chair and moaned in pleasure, hoping she wouldn't drop her curling iron and set their apartment on fire. Somehow she didn't think arson was the right way to go for Spencer to get his security deposit back, no matter how accidental. As Spencer's hands worked their magic, he spoke.

"Look inside," he said, his hands lavishing attention on her ankles and calves as well.

"I already know the contents of your bag, Spence: that's how I solved the mystery of your man purse."

"_Messenger bag_," Spencer corrected, doing his best to hold in a laugh. As he continued his massage, he spoke again. "look inside, love: I have a surprise for you."

With her hair now complete, she set down her curling iron and shut it off. She reached down and lifted Spencer's bag, placing it on her lap. She opened it and burst out laughing when she saw the contents. Tucked away in the safe confines of his bag were small tupperware containers holding carrot and celery slices, whole grain crackers, hummus, granola, apples, nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, and two large water bottles.

"Is this your way of telling me you're not a fan of overly salted, overly fatty, overly priced concession stand fare?" she asked.

"Something like that," Spencer replied. "I just want to make sure you and Little Lila have only the best and concession stand food doesn't make the cut."

"Maybe not, but you do," Lila replied. She removed her feet from his hands moved closer to him. She pulled him towards her and kissed him passionately on the lips. When they finally pulled apart, she smiled dreamily at him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"That definately makes the cut," she replied.

"As do I," Spencer replied, gently twirling one of her curls around his finger.

"Hey, don't mess up the hair," Lila said, jokingly batting his hand away.

"My, my, aren't you the little diva all of a sudden," Spencer joked.

"Some would call it simply being a woman."

"I think you look beautiful. I really like the curly look," Spencer said, fingering her hair again.

"I'm glad you approve, babe. Maybe I should curl my hair more often for you."

"Lila, you could shave your head and tattoo the flesh underneath and you would still be the most beautiful woman in the world in my eyes."

When Spencer saw the glimmer in his wife's eyes, he hastily added. "But please don't get any ideas. You would still be gorgeous, but I would miss your hair. I enjoy playing with it."

"Far be it for me to deprive you of your favorite toy," Lila teased.

She rose from her chair and unplugged her curling iron. As she picked up her purse and made certain she had everything she needed, Spencer went off to retrieve her shoes. She rested her hand on his shoulder for balance as she slid her feet into them. Once she was ready, they walked out of the bedroom, picked up their jackets and exited the apartment. After making certain the door was securely locked, Spencer linked his fingers through Lila's and the newlyweds walked down the stairs hand in hand.


	36. Chapter 36 A night on the Town

Chapter Thirty-Six-A night on the Town

"Friends are God's way of apologizing to us for our families."~ Anonymous

It was close to seven forty-five when Spencer and Lila arrived at the movie theater. They entered the building hand-in-hand and didn't have to look far for their companions for the evening. Morgan was the first one to notice them and approached them. He looked handsome as always in dark jeans and graphic tee with a black button down shirt over it. He gave Lila a hug and kiss on the cheek before playfully slappping Spencer on the back.

"It's about time you decided to join us," he joked.

"It's my fault: I kind of took my sweet time getting ready," Lila said, blushing slightly.

"Well then in that case you are forgiven because you look absolutely stunning," Morgan replied, giving her a look of appreciation. "a tad over dressed, but stunning none the less. You two look more suited for Buckingham Palace than the AMC," he teased.

Lila blushed slightly and looked down at herself, wondering if she was over dressed. The rest of the group looked decidedly less formal. It was at that moment Garcia walked towards them. She looked lovely in a charmeuse, Hawaiian floral dress. It had short sleeves, a v neck, and ended at her knees. She paired with funky red flats and a red vintage purse.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who decided to dress up for the occassion," Garcia replied, giving the newlyweds a hug.

"So am I," Lila replied, returning the affection. When they pulled apart, Lila eyed Garcia's outfit with appreciation.

"Is that a Betsy Johnson dress?" she asked.

"That would be correct, oh great mistress of couture. I found it at a Betsy Johnson outlet store about a month ago and just fell in love. Of course, the fact it was on the sale rack didn't hurt either."

"Sales are always wonderful," Lila agreed. Although Lila had plenty of money, she favored Forever 21, Old Navy, and the Gap over pricier boutiques or designer creations.

"Is that a Betsy clutch in your hands?" Garcia asked, knowing her designer dudes.

"Yes, actually it is. Ashley was out shopping and bought it for me. She's the label whore in our family and it makes her crazy that I don't like to splurge on those things."

"Speaking of Ashley, how is your lovably psychotic better half?" Garcia asked.

"You will soon find out because she and Zoey are going to be joining us this evening," Lila said, feeling a tad guilty for her sister crashing their private get together.

"Oh, well, isn't that...wonderful," Garcia replied, looking a tad scared.

"Ashley basically invited herself and is taking Zoey along for the ride," Lila said. "I made her promise to behave like a civilized human being, but somehow I don't think that's going to happen."

"Neither do I, but that's okay because after hunting unsubs I need some zanyness to my life," Garcia replied, leading Lila towards the group.

The men followed close behind and they were soon united with the group. When Lila looked around, she realized there were extra guests were in attendence. Other than the BAU team, Gideon and Elle were also present, which was a happy surprise for both Lila and Spencer. The other two tag alongs present were also a happy surprise for Lila: her cousins, Stella and Emma. Stella was speaking to Gideon and Elle and Emma was conversing with Hotch. When they saw Lila, however, they excused themselves and raced over to greet her.

"My goodness, the surprises are just continuing to build," Lila replied, hugging each girl.

"Stell and I didn't expect to see you again so soon, so when Ash invited us out tonight it was a nice surprise," Emma replied. She looked lovely in a black, beaded one shoulder top and dark skinny jeans. Her hair was blown straight and her eye makeup smoky.

"It's great to see you, but how were you able to make it down here? What about work?" Spencer asked them after greeting them with a hug.

"Believe it or not I'm in D.C. on business," Emma replied. "I have been flying back and forth between here and the gulf covering the oil spill, among other things."

"There is a huge political scandle about to explode and the key witness will only speak to Em," Stella said, her hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. She looked gorgeous in a beaded knit top, skinny black pants, and stillettos.

Spencer and Lila looked at Emma with interest, but she simply shrugged. "I am not at liberty to disclose the details of the story at this time, but it's huge. And the best part is this story just sort of fell into my lap. I love it when that happens."

"That certainly sounds exciting," Spencer replied.

"What about you, Stell? What brings you to the nation's capital?" Lila asked.

"I'm just here to see you guys. I didn't want to miss an opportunity to spend time with my favorite FBI agents."

"What about me?" Lila asked, feigning hurt.

"What about you?" Stella teased.

"That was cold," Lila said, resting her hand on her chest.

"Where are Ashley and Zoey?" Emma interrupted. "the movie is going to start soon."

"Don't worry, they will be here," Aaron assured her. "they would never miss a chance to be center of attention."

"Of course, if they do decide to skip the movie, that wouldn't be such a terrible tragedy," JJ replied, still disgusted by Ashley's antics at Spencer and Lila's wedding.

"Would it make you feel better if I told you I made them promise they would be on their best behavior tonight?" Lila asked.

"No, but if you believe those two are capable of acting like civilized human beings, I have a bridge to sell you," Rossi replied, handing Spencer and Lila their movie tickets.

Spencer and Lila laughed as they thanked Rossi for the tickets. The group then migrated towards the concession stand so they could order treats. Since they were going out to dinner afterwards, they decided to keep their orders conservative. After buying their goodies, they got in line and waited for their ticket collector to look at their tickets. He directed them to the correct theater and they walked inside.

So far there was no sign of Ashley or Zoey and Lila was secretly breathing a sigh of relief. The group walked into the theater and decided to claim the empty row in the middle. Gideon, Elle, and Stella were the first ones to walk down the row and claim their seats. Gideon was an avid art lover and since Stella was an assistant curator at an art gallery, they were in deep conversation. Elle was just along for the ride and followed her husband.

They were now at the far left of the aisle, with Elle in the middle. Although Stella was talking to Gideon, she didn't want to be rude and take the seat that rightfully belonged to his wife. As the art lovers continued their conversation and tried to incorporate Elle into it, Will and JJ followed them. Will sat beside Stella and JJ sat beside him. For her part, JJ was elated at the prospect of an Ashley free evening.

Although Zoey could be a bit of a handful, as far as JJ was concerned, Ashley was simply vile. JJ thought she was incredibly vulgar and found her behavior at the reception to be in extremely poor taste. She was still trying to discourage Henry from using the new vocabulary he had picked up at the event. Garcia and Kevin followed then and sat down. Garcia didn't mind Ashley, but she couldn't help but feel jealous by the prospect of Morgan having feelings for another woman. Although she deeply loved Kevin, she also liked being the main woman in Morgan's life.

As Garcia and Kevin made themselves comfortable and tore into their treats, Spencer and Lila moved next in the procession. They were holding hands as they walked down the aisle, to everyone's amusement. This was their first time attending a movie together and the newlyweds were adorably excited about that. The only other significant other Spencer had attended a movie with was Austin, but this was much more thrilling for him.

For one thing, Lila was actually happy to be with him and wasn't complaining about the choice of film, or the price of concession food, or where they were sitting. Lila beamed at him and squeezed his hand.

"This is our first movie date, Magic," Lila said, kissing him on the cheek.

"'Magic'?" Morgan asked, raising an eyebrow at his pussywhipped friend.

"I think we all know the origin of that nickname," Stella replied in between bites of popcorn.

Unlike Ashley, who went out of her way to spell out her vulgarness, Stella liked to simply give a wink and a nudge to hers. She figured most people were smart enough to figure out what she meant and if they weren't, well, she didn't care about those people. Stupid people were never high on Stella's list of importance. Everyone chuckled and Spencer blushed slightly. He wasn't used to his sexual prowess being alluded to in everyday conversation.

"It's perfectly normal for couples to have special pet names for each other," Lila replied, gently squeezing Spencer's hand. "do you and Kevin have special pet names for each other?" she asked Garcia.

"He calls me wonderful and I call him brilliant," Garcia said, tucking into her Swedish fish.

Her candy, however, did not come from the concession stand; it came from the grocery store. She and Kevin had hit a local store before the movie and loaded up on goodies, since neither wanted to spend $4 on a box of Swedish fish when they could buy a much bigger box on sale for $1. The only item they did buy at the theater was popcorn, since nothing beat movie theater popcorn. Or movie theater slushies. Everyone laughed again and Garcia looked over at Gideon.

"Do you and Elle have special names for each other?" she asked, still amazed they were an item. She used to ponder the possibility of their coupledom when they were both at the BAU, but never thought it would happen. 

"Yes, Jason and Elle," Gideon replied, taking a sip of bottled water, purchased at the concession stand. He and Elle were also sharing a small popcorn, also purchased at the concession stand, as was Elle's soft pretzel.

Elle grinned at her husband's stone walling, since she wanted to keep their names for each other private. As she nibbled her pretzel and took a dip of diet Pepsi, Will spoke up.

"I call JJ Gummi Bear sometimes," he replied, savoring the spicy nuts he brought from home. He promptly washed them down with a sip of Gatorade, also brought from home.

"And I call Will Jambalaya," JJ added, blushing slightly, since they had never mentioned their special names for each other to other people before.

"Ohh, so you're jumbo?" Stella teased. For her part, she was tucking into a huge bag of oil and garlic potato chips she purchased before heading to D.C. She also had Doritos and a large bottle of coke, also purchased before her movie adventure.

"Stella, please don't feel the need to fill the void Ashley's absence has left in our group," Hotch said.

Everyone laughed and as Spencer and Lila were about to sit down, they heard a very familiar, cringe worthy 'yoo-hoo!' Everyone looked and watched as Ashley and Zoey made their way towards them. They both strutted as if they owned the place and the grins on their faces forwarned everyone of their intentions to do no good.

"Hey bitches, wassup?" Ashley shouted, waving vigerously with both hands at the newly mortified, nervous group.


	37. Chapter 37 OMG

Chapter Thirty-Seven-O...M...G...

"The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolorate."~ Douglas Engelbart

"H...hello Ashley," Lila said, eyeing her sister nervously. The evening was going so well and she hoped her sister wouldn't do anything to ruin that.

"We're sorry we're late, but Zo and I had some work to catch up on and traffic was _such _a motherfucker!" Ashley said.

"That's quite alright," Rossi replied, eyeing their new companion with interest.

The contrast between the two sisters was staggering. While Lila looked poised to meet the queen, Ashley looked ready to pose on a street corner. She was wearing a back, shirred mesh ruffled corset. Although her breasts were concealed, the garment was completely sheer from the aereolas down. The top was snug and placed her size D breasts on proud display.

Her dark jeans were torn at the knees and other places were pants should not be torn. They were also so low rised Lila wondered how it could be legal for pants to be that low. She did, however, say a silent prayer of thanks when she noticed her sister was indeed wearing underwear. To complete this classy ensemble, Ashley was wearing silver bangles, platform stilettos that lit up when she walked, and an insanely, impossibly huge tote. It was silver and sparkly and proudly displayed evil bunny, who was Ashley's idol. On one side it said "naughty" and on the other in said "nope, still naughty, but you love me anyway."

"It's so nice to see my favorite sexy crime fighters," Lila said, pulling everyone into an insanely tight bearhug.

"I'm just the one night stand that won't go away," Ashley said to Morgan with a big grin on her face.

"Yes indeed you are," Morgan replied, trying to keep his gaze eye level as Ashley embraced him.

"Not to worry my one time love, I won't go all Fatal Attraction on your ass. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," Ashley assured him. Indeed, she had already slept with a few men since her trip to Sin City.

"That is comforting to know," Morgan replied, wondering why her rejection stung him so much.

"Spencer, Reid, my men," Ashley said, grinning lustfully at her brother-in-law.

She pushed her way through the rest of the procession and pulled Spencer close for a hug, letting her pelvis graze against his. Although Spencer returned the hug, he arched his groin far away from hers. The idea of his body so intimately touching hers was frightening on so many levels.

"It's nice to see you too, Ashley," he said politely, wiggling free from her lecherous grasp.

"So how is my favorite brother-in-law and his legendary separate entity?" she asked, giving her sister a wink.

"Completely and utterly devoted and under the absolutely ownership of your sister," he replied, positing his messenger bag in front of his pants.

"That is what I like to hear!" Ashley exclaimed, wrapping her arm around each of them and pulling them towards her for a tight, awkward group hug.

Once the Reids were able to wiggle free of her, they began to sit down so everyone else could be seated. Somehow, however, Ashley had wiggled her way between them and was now sitting in the middle. She set her bag on the floor, kicked off her shoes and propped her feet on the chair in front of her. Spencer and Lila exchanged glances, at a loss as to how to proceed. They didn't want to hurt Ashley's feelings, but at the same time they wanted to sit next to each other.

This was their one week anniversary and their first time attending a movie together, so they wanted this evening to be special. Morgan, the wonderful friend he was, sensed the newlyweds' dilemma and intervened on their behalf. He flashed her his sexiest, come hither smile and gestured towards her.

"Hey mama, why don't you come over here and sit next to me. I don't have a date tonight and I might get a little lonely around all these lovebirds," he replied.

"If I sit next to you, will you promise not to molest me when the lights are dimmed?" Ashley asked.

"Scouts' honor," Morgan replied, although he had never been a scout before in his life.

"Well, you're no fucking fun," Ashley replied, although she rose from her seat and moved over so the newlyweds could sit together.

Morgan took the seat beside Lila, knowing Ashley would want to be in close proximity to her sister, but that Lila needed space so she could cozy up to her husband. Lila flashed him a grateful smile and leaned towards him as he sat beside her.

"Thank you so much for this, Derek. I promise there is a Mercedes in your future," she whispered in his ear.

Morgan looked over at Ashley, who was conversing with Zoey, who took her place beside her. They were both talking and laughing loudly, so they didn't notice Lila and Morgan's sidebar.

"By Mercedes, you better mean an entire dealership," he whispered back.

"Absolutely," Lila whispered back before they sat back up.

Lila rested her head on Spencer's shoulder and everyone else sat down. After exchanging glances with Rossi, Prentiss accepted her fate and sat beside Zoey. Rossi, looking relieved and slightly smug, sat beside Prentiss. Emma sat beside Rossi and Hotch sat beside her. Morgan reached down and picked up Ashley's shoes, handing them to her.

"Why don't you put these back on, Mama? It would be a shame if you lost them. They are so...unique."

"My, my, aren't you bossy, Baby Daddy," Ashley replied, raising an eyebrow at Morgan.

"'Baby Daddy'?" Rossi asked, raising an eyebrow. "is there something we should know about?"

"Baby Daddy is a term used for a man who fathers a woman's child and he isn't her husband," Ashley clarified.

"Thank you for clarifying," Rossi replied, rolling his eyes as he took a sip of his bottled water. He didn't particularly care for popcorn or junk food in general, so he pulled out his snack of crackers, cheese, and strawberries.

"Anytime, Rossinator. And as for the second part of your question, I seriously doubt his sperm scored a touch down with my egg. We used a condom the first time we fucked and I took the morning after fucking pill after coming home. Hehe...coming: so yeah, the chances of an Archer-Morgan baby entering the world are pretty slim."

"And the world heaves a collective sigh of relief," Lila whispered the Spencer, who stiffled a chuckle.

"What do you mean you only used a condom the first time?" Prentiss asked, looking at Morgan as if he had grown a second head. "are you telling me you didn't use protection everytime...and how many times were there?"

"Well, we fucked the first time after Spence and Lila's reception. I was pretty fucking wasted as you may remember, so my man Morgan helped me up to my room and into a cold shower so some of the edge could be taken off. It was at that moment I just knew I had to fuck him, but being the gentlemen that he was, he wanted to wait until after the newlyweds left the reception and started fucking before we began our fucking. After Reid decided it had to unite with Archer and they made their grand exit, Morgan and other Archer decided to do a happy dance of their own.

We went to my hotel room and things got _really _hot-n-heavy. We fucked twice that night and it was pretty good: on a scale of one to ten I would give that night a six or a seven, possibly a seven and a half. Wait, no, no, a six or a seven is good enough. Morgan has the goods, but let's face it, not everyone can be blessed with a ten inch berdonkidonk like our man Reid here."

Everyone turned and stared at Spencer and Morgan, who were red faced and mortified for completely different reasons. Totally oblivious as always, Ashley happily prattled away. Prentiss simply stared at her loud mouthed companion, utterly fascinated as she nibbled red licorice and popcorn, purchased at the concession stand. She also took a sip of concession stand diet Cola, unable to look away. She likened Ashley to something of a trainwreck: no matter how much you wanted to, you just couldn't look away.

"Anyway, Emily, after we finished fucking the second time, we chatted for a little while before finally passing out. When we woke up the next morning, we decided to fuck again, only we didn't have any more condoms. I was completely out and he didn't want to go to his room to get his because he was afraid I would no longer be interested once he returned. Anyway, we fucked some more, in doggy style and reverse cowgirl to be exact, but he didn't ejaculate inside of me until he started pounding my ass."

"Isn't that...interesting," Prentiss said before taking another sip of her beverage.

"Yeah, it was a magical evening for all parties involved," Ashley replied, putting her shoes back on.

"Ash also met and fucked some guy on the plane as well," Zoey added.

"Oh yeah, that's right, I did," Ashley replied. "his name was Ryan...Robert?...I dunno, something. Anyway, we were sitting next to each other and he totally starting flirting with me right away. One thing led to another and we decided to consummate our lust in the airplane bathroom."

"Derek, I think you might want to get yourself tested," Kevin whispered to his mortified friend.

"Believe me, that was the first thing I did as soon as I got home," Morgan whispered back. "and thankfully the tests came back normal."

"Of course they would, man: I haven't had an std in years," Ashley relied. Although her shoes were now on, she rested them on the back of the seat in front of her.

"So you've had them in the past?" Will asked, in spite of himself.

"Don't encourage her!" JJ hissed, slapping him in the arm.

"Do you really think my sister is the type to sit back and wait for encouragement?" Lila whispered to her.

"Point taken," JJ replied.

"Yeah, I've had syphillis and chlamidia twice, but that was years ago: like high school and college. Now I get myself tested all the time and use condoms for the most part," Ashley replied.

Will simply stared at her with his mouth slightly gaping, not used to a woman being so...bold. Lila glared at Ashley, having had enough of her sister's antics. Unlike Ashley, Lila actually cared about the feelings of others and wanted the people Spencer cared about to like her.

"Ashley Nicole Archer, please do us all a favor and shut up! No one wants to hear about your sex life or whatever else you may feel the need to tell us. It's rude and inappropriate and embarassing!" she exclaimed.

"Thank you!" a random movie goer commented.

"I think you need to shut the fuck up," Ashley hissed at the movie goer before turning her attention back to Lila.

"I'm just kidding around, Lila-bear: don't be such a dick whipped hater," Ashley replied, unzipping her purse.

"Well, no one finds your antics funny, especially me," Derek said, looking her in the eye. "I know you think you are just being funny or quirky, but you're really just acting like an ass. Believe it or not, it is possible to have a good time without embarassing yourself or others around you."

"Hey man, what's with all the hate? It ain't my fault your bedroom performance was lackluster," Ashley retorted.

"You weren't exactly complaining about my performance that evening," Morgan retorted.

"I'm amazed Ashley can still feel anything down there," Stella muttered, earning some chuckles.

"It's called kegals baby," Ashley replied, a huge grin on her face.

Ashley and Zoey then opened their insanely huge bags, revealing their contents. Although almost everyone had smuggled in food, they certainly claimed the prize for most outragous contraband. Ashley pulled out a bucket of extra crispy, spicy KFC chicken, as well as a box holding biscuits and containers of cole slaw. As she pulle out the containers holding mashed potatoes and gravy, Ashley pulled out plates and their bottled pop.

"Oh my God, Ashley, you cannot be serious," Lila said, staring at her sister slackjawed. She was used to her sister smuggling weird things into the theater, but this was right up there.

"Why the fuck not? We're hungry, right Zo?" Ashley said to her companion.

"Hellz yeah!" Zoey replied, also pulling out some parfeit.

"You do realize we are going to dinner in just a few hours right?" Kevin said.

"Shh! Don't tell her!" Elle whispered. "maybe they forgot!"

"Zo and I remember about our little dinner date and don't worry, we'll make room for dinner," Ashley assured them.

"I love KFC, but it tends to go right through me," Zoey added.

"If it goes right through you, why are you eating it?" Emma asked.

"Because I love it. Pay the fuck attention!" Zoey exclaimed.

"Want some chicken?" Zoey asked, offering her the bucket.

"No thank you," Emma replied, content with her bottled water and snowcaps. She was also sharing a bucket of popcorn with Hotch, who was enjoying a coke and chocolate covered raisins. They had purchased their items at the movie theater, since they both felt strongly against smuggling food into the theater. Emma tried, but always felt guilty afterwards.

"What about you, Dee? Want some chicken?" Ashley asked Morgan.

"No," he said curtly, having lost interest in his cheese covered nachos and coke.

"Anyone want some chicken?" Ashley offered one final time.

"I'll have some chicken," Kevin said. Kevin loved KFC.

"Alright; do you want cole slaw or mp & g?" Ashley asked.

"Mp & g?" Kevin asked, looking puzzled.

"Mashed potatoes and gravy," Ashley explained. She filled a plate and had it passed to him.

"Thanks, Ash. Do you want some candy?" Kevin offered.

"What kind do you have?" Ashley asked, leaning over to inspect the merchandise.

"M&ms, mini Snickers, mini Reeses, Swedish fish..."

"Ohhh, can I have some jaw breakers?" Ashley asked, noticing the box in Garcia's bag.

"I wish hers would," JJ whispered.

"Sure," Kevin replied. Ashley leaned towards him and he poured some into her palm.

"Thanks man," Ashley replied, sitting back up.

"So yeah, I read some reviews about this movie and it sounds really good," Ashley continued.

"Shh!" the same movie goer hissed. Ashley turned around and found herself looking at an average looking man with an average looking group of friends.

"'Shh' back at you! What the fuck are you shushing about? All we're watching is motherfucking previews," Ashley said, turning back to face the screen.

"Oh and Em, here's your shirt back," Ashley added, pulling a tank top with a grey and peach floral pattern out of her purse and tossing it to Emma.

"H...how did you get this?" Emma sputtered. Then she took a whiff and made a face. "eww, and it smells like chicken."

"I got it from your closet silly," Ashley said matter of-factly.

"B...but how? I must have changed my locks like three times!" Emma protested, looking over at Hotch, whose expression was unreadable.

"But you haven't changed your lock smith..." Ashley said in a singsong voice.

"You _slept _with my locksmith to get a key to my apartment?" Emma asked, looking wide eyed with shock and alarm.

"Ding ding ding, that would be correct!" Ashley said, casting her a grin.

Emma continued to stare at her and Hotch rested a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, I will find another locksmith for you."

"Thank you," Emma replied, feeling slightly relieved.

"Could you please keep it down?" the moviegoer begged again.

"Shh-I wanna hear this!" his female companion hissed, slapping him in the arm.

"Me too!" said another movie goer.

"So Lila...you and Spence went to a cooking class today: did you fuck on the countertop?"

Spencer gave Ashley a look of disgust, which Lila quickly matched. "No, but even if we did that would be none of your business! Spencer and I are married and what we do is for our knowledge only."

"You are only saying that because Spencer is being a control freak and won't let you say anything!" Ashley countered.

"No, I am saying that because it is true and no one wants to hear about our sex life," Lila replied. She looked around at the group, who was eagerly awaiting her next move. Even the group of unfamiliar movie goers looked intrigued.

"Does anyone here really want to know about my love life with Spencer? Everyone, with the exception of Ashley, Zoey, Stella, and possibly Garcia, please raise your hand if you want to know the nitty gritty of what Spencer and I do in bed."

"I wanna know," one of the guys in the other group said, raising his hand. His girlfriend promptly smacked him upside the head and forced him to apologize.

Lila rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat, crossing her arms tightly in front of her. Spencer wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek.

"Try to calm down, love. All this stress isn't good for you or our baby."

"I'm trying Spence, but Ashley is really making it difficult for me."

"Well the movie is about to start and Ashley is going to keep her mouth shut, aren't you Ashley?" Morgan asked, giving her a stern look.

"Ohh, you're sexy when you're angry. Wanna fuck when the lights dim?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief and lust.

"Thank you for that...kind invitation, but I'm afraid I will have to pass. I would hate to make you settle or a six or a seven when you could hold out and possibly meet a ten later on this evening."

"Ohh, touchee my friend, touchee. That really makes me hot!" Ashley said.

"SHH!" everyone said in unison as the lights started to dim.


	38. Chapter 38OMFG

Chapter Thirty-Eight-O...M...F...G...

"But that intimacy of mutual embarrassment, in which each feels that the other is feeling something, having once existed,, its effect is not to be done away with."~ George Eliot

**Author's Note: I know Ashley seems unbelievably obnoxious, but believe or not I used to be a lot like her a few years ago. Thankfully I have mellowed out a bit and now I am fit for society, lol. Hopefully Ashley will be, too. Oh, and this chapter is for Blackhope, since she tends to lean towards more outragious plot lines. Muah!**

It was some time later and everyone's attention was now focused on the movie screen; well, almost everyone. Ashley and Zoey were conversing rather loudly, with Zoey playing an incredibly annoying game on her cellphone. The rest of the group, with the exception of Stella, were rather disgusted with their behavior and were doing their best to ignore them. Lila was distracting herself by nuzzling up to Spencer, basking in their intimacy. They were gently kissing each other on the lips and even rubbing noses.

Ashley and Zoey continued their irritating chatter, lost in their own juvenile little world. Zoey was laughing like a donkey on a crack binge, lost in the world of her game. Originally she'd only had a standard cellphone with nothing extra: not even a camera. Ashley decided to change that and bought her the latest model that had more bells and whistles than Zoey knew what to do with. Zoey was delighted with her new gift and it had scarcely left her hands since the day she received it.

For her part, Ashley was talking loudly to the screen, offering extensive commentary and explitives to the actors who thankfully could not hear her. Unfortunately, her companions could very much hear her and except for Zoey and Stella, they were disgusted and annoyed by her antics. Ashley leaned forward with keen interest as the masked killer lurked outside of the heroine's house. Everyone had originally planned to see a romantic comedy, but that movie had sold out. In fact, the only two movies that hadn't sold out were this and an animated flick.

And since no one wanted to sit amongst young children, especially with Ashley in the mix, they settled on this movie. The premise of the movie was that a young woman named Carrie witnessed a murder and needed to be placed in witness protection for her safety, as well as the safety of her young son, Cooper. As the villens snooped and murdered their way around the country trying to find her, Carrie was falling in love Detective Alex Johnson, the troubled officer entrusted with her safety.

At this point in the movie, Carrie had witnessed the murder and gone to the police. The officers didn't have a lead yet, so they sent Carrie home, with the promise of checking on her later. Ashley watched wide eyed, her mouth gaping open as the killer broke her window, with Carrie unaware.

"Where da fuck are the po-lease?" Ashley exclaimed, chewed chicken and gravy falling out of her mouth. "day said day was gonna check on her! Day betta hurry they asses up before that dude goes all Psycho on her ass!"

"I wish someone would go all Psycho on her ass," JJ whispered to Will, who nearby choked on his gatorade as he held back a laugh.

As Ashley prattled away, Spencer and Lila were oblivious to the events around them, lost in each other's embrace. Their kiss was deep, intense, their tongues resembling smakes during mating season. Lila moaned softly as Spencer moved his hand up her soft, smooth leg. Her legs naturally parted as his hand made its way between her leg. As he ran his finger along the thin material separating his appendage from her entrance, he moved his mouth to her ear.

"You are always so warm and wet for me," he whispered, giving her lobe a slight nip.

"That's because you have magical fingers, magic man," Lila whispered back, her hand sneaking up Spencer's shirt.

Spencer moaned and gave her that look that made her come in her pants every time. As their lips reunited, the killer found his way into Carrie's house and bombarded into the bathroom. He smashed open the shower door and Carrie let out a blood curling scream. Ashley was close behind her, letting out a noise so unnatural, unhuman, that it made Jamie Lee Curtis seem mute. To add to her theatrics, Ashley's fright caused her to jump back in her chair and her arms to fall over her head. The bucket of chicken she was holding projected the extra crispy, spicy poultry onto the poor, unsuspecting souls behind her.

"Holy motherfucking shit, dude! Did ya'll just fucking _see _that?" Ashley shouted, dropping the now empty bucket. "where _da _fuck are the po-lease yo?"

As if answering her question, the killer lurched forward, trying to stab Carrie with a large kitchen knife. Carrie scurried away, grabbing her robe in the process. As she ran for her life, she threw on the robe and tied it around her unnaturally small waist. The killer continued to chase her, wielding the knife. Carrie just barely missed him at every turn and with every movement and emphasis of background music, Ashley would jump back and scream.

Spencer and Lila were completely oblivious, lost in each other's sensual embrace. Emma, however, was terrified. Horror movies weren't exactly her idea of a good time, so she huddled into her chair, her arms wrapped around her legs. Her already fair complexion lost what little color it had and her entire body shook, as if she had been thrown into a blizzard after a cold shower.

Without a word, Hotch wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Emma could feel the hard, cold fear slowly thawing under Hotch's warm embrace and the air slowly returned to her lungs. She slowly sat back in her seat and rested her head on his shoulder. He moved his head towards hers and whispered something in her ear. Emma nodded and they both rose from their seats.

They silently exited the theater, both happy to spare themselves from the rest of the film, and from Ashley's antics. Carrie raced down her winding staircase, just barely out of her would-be killer's reach. As she frantically reached for the door handle, the killer swung his knife, puncturing her wrist. Carrie screamed in pain and terror before turning around and running back up the stairs. Ashley shot up from her seat, waving her arms frantically.

"Girl no, don't do that! You're supposed to run _down _the stairs, not _up_! Why didn't you run out da house when you had the chance fool?" she shouted.

"Wait, what's going on?" Zoey asked, finally tearing eyes away from her cellphone.

"A crazy assed killer just tried to Lizzy Borden her ass in da shower and dis crazy, stupid bitch runs up the stairs when she coulda up da stairs. I mean, what da fuck is _wrong _with her?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" the movie goer from earlier shouted. "why can't you just shut the fuck up?"

"Why don't you just mind your own fucking business!" Ashley retorted.

"I swear to God lady if you do not shut the hell up I am going to punch you in the face," the man shouted.

"And I'll punch you in the dick!" Ashley shouted back, flalling her arms about as she tried to make herself look tough. "do you wanna fight, fool, cuz I'll fight you? You wanna fight?"

"Come on bitches, let's kick this pussy's ass!" Ashley exclaimed, looking at Zoey, Lila, and Stella for reenforcements.

"I'm game," Zoey said, putting her phone in her purse before standing up.

"Li, Stell, are you in?" Ashley asked.

"Hmm?" Lila said, looking up at her sister. She had been so entranced with her wonderful husband that she honestly hadn't noticed her sister's antics.

"What's going on?" Stella asked. Unlike her mentally unstable friend, she was actually watching the movie.

"What's going on here is that you're gonna help me kick that punk's ass," Ashley said matter-of-factly.

"Why-what happened?" Stella asked.

"Does it matter?" Ashley demanded, her eyes blazing.

"Well, if I am going assault a total stranger, I would like to have some idea as to why I am doing it," Stella replied. Depending on the situation and her mood, she could either be the perfect compliment to Ashley's insanity or act like a normal person.

"This asshole is mouthing off to me and threatening to kick my ass and I ain't havin it! I am gangsta and sooo gonna kick his ass! Right Lila-aint we gangsta?" Ashley said, looking at her sister.

"Gangster? Ashley, we were born and raised in Connecticut," Lila replied, giving her sister an incredulous look.

"Lila, baby, please don't involve yourself-just stay out of it. Think of the baby," Spencer murmured in her ear.

"Believe me, Spence, I have absolutely no intention of getting involved in Ashley's craziness. The well being of our baby is far more important to me," Lila assured him.

"'The baby', 'the baby', 'the baby', you're always using your pregnancy as an excuse to get out of shit," Ashley complained.

"Ashley, I have only been pregnant for two and half weeks, so how have I _always_ used my pregnancy to get out of anything? 'Always' is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Some help you are, Lila. You're never there for me when I need you," Ashley hissed.

"Yes, well, forgive me for not wanting to engage in fistacuffs during the first trimester of my pregnancy," Lila retorted.

"Does this mean you'll engage in fistacuffs in your second trimester?" Ashley asked, rubbing her hands together excitedly.

Lila raised her eyebrows, so Ashley continued. "What about the third?"

"How about you just shut the fuck up and sit your fat ass down?" the angry movie goer screamed.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up before my sister and whoop your ass?" Ashley said, pulling Lila to her feet. Lila looked nervously at the movie goer, who was frankly a tad surprised. He wasn't expecting this vulgar creature's sister to be so lovely.

"_That _is your sister?" he asked, the shock in his voice.

"Half sister," Stella added, looking over her shoulder to look at him.

"Stella, do yourself a favor and stay out of it," Gideon said to her.

Stella decided to take his advice to heart and returned her focus back to the movie. The moviegoer looked from Stella to Lila and Ashley again. Spencer reached up and pulled Lila back into her seat, wanting to get his wife out of the crossfire.

"Yeah, it's true," Ashley explained to her nemesis. "same father, different mothers because my father fucked my mother while still technically married to Lila's mom. It's okay though, because Lila's mom is a psychotic bitch. She's like a cross between Hitler and Curella de Ville."

The moviegoer looked at Lila with interest and she shrugged. "Well, my mother _is _an anti semetic who hates puppies, so that is an apt description," Lila conceeded.

"Yeah, totally, so my dad fucked my mom on his desk at work after drinking two bottles of wine and boda bing, boda boom, nine months later she pushed out of her clasloppus."

"Isn't that...interesting," the movie goer's wife replied.

"Totally," Ashley replied. Then she removed her earrings and threw them at Lila.

"Here girl, hold my earrings," she said.

"Umm, okay," Lila said, looking at her sister like the lunatic she was.

"I'm going to kick her ass Sharon, I really am," the movie goer insisted to his wife.

"Hold my shoes!" Ashley added, ripping off her shoes and plopping them onto Lila's lap.

"Why do you need to take your shoe off to fight?" Lila asked, flicking the tacky attire off of her lap. She knew she should listen to Spencer and stay out of it, but she couldn't help herself.

"Cuz that's what you do, girl. That's how gangstas role," Ashley replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then she looked over at Spencer.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Well what?" he asked.

"Aren't you going to take your fingers out of my sister's pussy and help me?"

"The origin of my fingers is none of your concern, and no, I am not going to help you. If you are as 'gangsta' as you profess to be, I think you will fare just fine," Spencer said coldly, turning his attention back to the movie.

"Great answer, babe," Lila whispered, kissing his cheek.

Spencer smiled and blushed, holding her close.

The movie goer and his wife were engaged in a heated discussion before she grabbed him by the shirt collar and forced him to the last row of the theater. Ashley grinned triumphently and plopped back into her seat.

"I guess I showed him," she said, grinning widely at Zoey, with whom she exchanged an enthusiastic high five. Ashley offered her palm to everyone else, but only Stella and Kevin took her up on her offer. Everyone else just gave her looks of disgust, relieved that she had finally shut up. Suddenly, Zoey stood up, causing the rest of the theater to groan.

"Damn man, that KFC is about to explode right out of me. Wanna go to the bathroom with me?" she asked Ashley.

"You know, that's probably a good idea. It's only a matter of time before I have to shit anyway. Gotta make room for dinner afterall," Ashley replied. She rose from her seat and tapped Lila on the shoulder.

"What?" Lila demanded, her patience on its last knub.

"Zo and I have to take a shit."

"I'll alert the media," Lila said dryly. She looked over at JJ.

"Did you hear that, JJ?" she asked.

"I will fill Emma in on the details over dinner," JJ replied, not missing a beat.

"She's probably being fucked up the ass by Hotch in the lobby," Zoey replied.

"Naw, he's too up tight for ass fucking," Ashley replied. "that would be a kick ass sight though."

She looked back at Lila in one last effort to coax her to the ladies' room, but the glares coming from both her and Spencer made her think better of it. She threw on her shoes and followed Zoey out of the aisle, towards the door. As they walked, both ladies were deep in discussion over Emma and Hotch's supposed sexual encounter. Morgan looked over his shoulder, eyeing the movie patrons behind him. He wanted to make sure Ashley's antics hadn't offended anyone to the point of taking action. All appeared to be well and he turned his attention back to the movie.

With Insane and Asylum momentary out of the picture, their mortified companions and the rest of the movie goers let out a collective sigh of relief, relishing the newfound peace. Soon, every turned their attention back to the movie and tried to pretend the earlier events had never happened.


	39. Chapter 39Dinner: Part 1

Chapter Thirty-Nine- Dinner: Part I

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose."~Tennessee Williams

It was later that evening and everyone was walking into the restaurant for dinner. The choice of restaraunt was left up to the newlyweds and they immediately decided on The Palm. They were impressed with not just the food, but with the impeccible service and the courtesy and consideration they were shown after the paparazzi debacle.

As they entered the building, Spencer and Lila immediately spotted Oliver and Hannah, who were making their rounds around the restaurant. Oliver was the first to notice them and nudged Hannah. Hannah looked up and smiled at the young couple. They walked over to the group and greeted Spencer and Lila warmly.

"Welcome back Dr. and Mrs. Reid. We're pleased that you found our restaurant satisfactory," Oliver replied.

"It was you and Hannah who made all the difference," Spencer replied. "and please, call us Spencer and Lila.

"Spencer and Lila it is then," Hannah said with a smile.

Although she thought Spencer and Lila were charming on their own merit, the fact that all of their media attention provided their restaurant with free advertising was an added bonus. The Palm had been packed ever since their first visit. Tonight was no exception and they were filled to capacity.

"You are certainly busy this evening," Lila said looking around. "if you are full, we can always go somewhere else."

"We always have room for you," Oliver assured her, leading them towards the private rooms that weere set aside for business meals or VIPs. It was restaurant policy to always keep one empty in case a group of VIPs made an impromptu visit.

The group followed Oliver and Hannah to the room and took in the sight before them. The walls were a sandy granite with twenty's style characters painted on them. The carpet was navy blue and the table and chairs were a solid, dark wood. A white linen tablecloth covered the table, which was set with white linen napkins, silverwear, glasses, and white plates.

Everyone took their seats, with the men pulling out chairs for the ladies of course. Oliver and Hannah passed out menus and took drink orders before exiting the room. Spencer and Lila were the first ones seated and everyone else followed suit. Spencer opened his menu while holding Lila's hand. After sharing a loving glance with her, he looked around at the rest of their companions. Although it was strange being at the head of the table, he enjoyed the view that position gave him.

Gideon was to his left and scouring the menu for something that met his high culinary standards. Being an outstanding chef himself, he tended to be a tad critical of other people's cooking. In fact, Elle liked to joke that her husband was purposely picky so he would have an excuse to stay home. She was sitting next to Lila, who was giving her suggestions. Hotch was sitting to Gideon's left and conversing with Emma. Lila stole a glance at her cousin, curious as to how she and the brooding unit chief passed their two hours.

Garcia was sitting beside Elle and Kevin was beside her. Stella was sitting beside Emma and in deep conversation with Rossi, who was to Stella's left. This pairing also intrigued Lila and she decided she needed a girls' weekend with her family to see what in the world was going on. Prentiss was sitting to Rossi's left and chiming into the conversation with the ladies on the other side of the table. She was also saying a silent prayer of thanks for the fact that the entire width of the table separated her from the...more colorful participants of this little get together.

Zoey was sitting beside Kevin and the two of them were gabbing away. To everyone's surprise, Kevin seemed to have bonded with Zoey and Ashley, considering them kindred spirits. The biggest surprise of the evening, however, was centered towards the other end of the table. Morgan was sitting at the other end of the table, casting sideways glances at Ashley, as well as the newest addition to their group.

His name was Shemar Moore and he and Ashley had met at the movie theater. Inexplicably, he found her behavior amusing and promptly asked for her number. Ashley did him one better, giving him her number _and _inviting him out to dinner. Shemar was African American and his skin tone was just a shade lighter than Morgan's. He stood at 6'1 and had a slim, slightly muscular physique.

His head was shaved and his gotee carefully groomed. He had warm honey brown eyes, thin mulberry colored lips, and a dazzling white smile. When he did smile, he produced two adorable, sexy, deep set dimples. He looked impeccible in a blue and white stripped dress shirt, black suit jacket, and a dark jeans. He traced his long, slender finger around the rim of his wine glass, listening to Ashley in rapt attention.

"So, Shemar, tell me again why you were at the movies alone tonight? Is it a regular accurance for you to get all dressed up and go out on the town alone?" Morgan asked, his eyes narrowing on his younger competition.

Morgan frowned as the word 'competition' popped into his mind. He had only shared one night with Ashley, which obviously meant nothing to her. Her behavior this evening made her feelings abundently clear, but still, he couldn't help but feel something for her.

"I was set up on a blind date, but she was a no-show. I think it was just as well because if that woman had shown up, I wouldn't have hooked up with Ashley, and I'm sure glad I did," Shemar replied, resting his hand over Ashley's and smiling at her.

"Yes, that was a fortunate stroke of luck," Morgan replied, still not liking this person any more. "what is it that you do for a living? I don't think you mentioned that."

Morgan rested his arms on the table and leaned towards Shemar, causing everyone to raise their eyebrows. Shemar, being the chill, laid back person he was, took Morgan's inquisition in stride.

"I'm an advertising executive for Carter, Portman, and Gellar," Shemar replied, mentioning the well known New York City firm.

"Are you originally from New York City? I don't detect a New York accent, but you definately sound as though you are from the east coast," Morgan replied.

"Umm, no, I am not originally from the Big Apple," Shemar replied, thanking the waitress as she set a plate of oysters in front of him. Everyone had ordered their appetizers and they were now arriving. The speed level of the service at The Palm was almost record breaking.

"I'm from Arlington, but moved to New York to attend college. I came down here to spend the weekend with my parents and it was them who arranged my blind date. She is the goddaughter of my father's friend's former college roommate. My parents thought we would be a perfect match, but obviously that wasn't meant to be."

"Obviously not," Morgan replied, absentmindedly stabbing his crabcakes with his fork.

"Soo, littlest Graham, how pray-tell did you and tall, dark, and brooding spend your two hours alone together? You didn't think we wouldn't notice the two of you slithering out of the theater, did you?" Ashley asked, a mischevious glint her her eyes.

"Did you fuck in the lobby?" Zoey asked, her eyes wide with eager anticipation.

"Yes, Zoey. Aaron, the unit chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, and I, a respected, well known journalist engaged in illegal activity of a sexal nature in a public setting where small children could see us," Emma said dryly, rolling her eyes as she tucked into her fried asparagus.

Aaron cracked what could sort of in a six-degrees-of-Kevin-Bacon way be considered a smile as he took a sip of his water. Emma offered him some of her asparagus and he accepted, returning the gesture by letting her sample some of his three cheese potatoes. The group took notice of this, as well as of Rossi and Stella doing the same thing. Stella was sampling Rossi's Colossal Lump Crabmeat cocktail and he was savoring her Point Judith Calamari Fritti, which was tossed with lemon and cherry peppers.

"Oh my God, did you really? Holy shit, dude, there are cameras in the theater and they totally captured everything! Ya'll could end up on Youtube!" Zoey exclaimed, looking at Kevin and Ashley as if that were the greatest possible thing that could ever happen.

Kevin started cackling at the prospect of the uptight unit chief being caught in such an embarassing situation. Garcia promply slapped him upside the head with a fried motzerella stick before promptly eating it. After one look at his girlfriend's less than happy face, he decided to choke back the rest of his laughter. Spencer decided to take this opportunity to change the subject to something considerably less offensive.

"Lila and I went to the doctor this week and we have ultrasound pictures of our baby," he said, opening his satchel to retrieve the envelope containing the precious momento.

He gently removed the photographs from the envelope and gave them one last loving look before handing them to Gideon. Gideon put on his glasses and smiled softly at the sight before him. Although he technically couldn't see anything, the obvious love and pride in his surrogate son's eyes didn't require glasses to see. Hotch and Emma leaned over to look as well and Emma looked at Spencer, confusion in her eyes.

"Umm, Spencer, I don't see anything," she replied, her cheeks red with obvious embarassment.

"It will be a few weeks before the baby develops enough to be seen properly," Spencer explained. "in fact, Lila's pregnancy is so early we needed to have a transvaginal ultrasound. Transvaginal ultrasounds are used for a variety of reasons, such as pelvic pain and irregular bleeding, but they are also used for detecting and monitoring pregnancies in their very earliest stages. We are only two weeks and two days along, so as of now only a yolk sac is present. During this early stage of pregnancy, Lila's body released an egg.

It traveled down her fallopian tube and was met by my sperm, which is when fertilization took place. The fertilized egg, technically known as a zygote, will then continue traveling down the fallopian tubes until finally reaching the uterus three to four days after fertilization. The first trimester is incredibly exciting because of rapidness in which the baby changes. By the fourth week, the fertilized egg will have implanted into Lila's uterine lining and will technically be known as an embryo. Lila and I don't like to use technical terms when referencing our child, so we usually just call her baby Reid, or Lil Spence or Lil Lila.

Anyway, after implantation, the embryo begins to divide itself into two: one part of it will develop into the placenta while the other will go on to become the baby. The sixth week..."

Spencer paused and looked around the table, the glazed over looks in many of the group members' eyes not going un noticed. He looked over at Morgan, who was grinning at him.

"Dang man, Emma was only asking about the ultrasound: she didn't ask for a detailed description of her cousin's fallopian tubes or uterine wall. Lila, why do you even _have _an ob when you have your own walking baby encyclopedia at your disposal?"

Everyone at the table erupted in laughter and Spencer's face turned beet red. In his excitement and joy over his new daughter, he allowed himself to get carried away and ended up boring his family and colleagues.

"Sorry," Spencer whispered, feeling foolish.

"You don't have to be sorry, Spence," Lila replied, immediately jumping to her husband's defense. Unlike everyone else, she found her sexy husband absolutely fascinating and didn't appreciate Morgan turning him into a joke. Quite frankly, she didn't see how Morgan was more interesting than her husband.

"you are excited about our baby and that is nothing to feel embarassed or ashamed of. Most women would love to have a husband as warm, sweet, and attentive as you. I thank God everyday I am lucky enough to have you and I don't want you to change _any _aspect of yourself out of a desire to meet someone else's standard. You are above and beyond everything I ever dreamed of and that should be good enough."

Lila then cast a pointed look at Morgan, whose face had turned its own shade of red. He never meant to hurt Spencer with his heckling; he thought of him as his younger brother and would never intentionally hurt him. He ran his hand over his smooth head before speaking.

"Sorry man, I didn't mean to upset you. You know I think of you as a brother and any jobs throw in in your direction aren't meant to be hurtful. All my heckling is done out of love."

"Ohhh, Morgan loves Spencer!" Zoey exclaimed, giving him a taste of his own heckling.

"That may very well be, but the fact of the matter is, Spencer and all of his appendages belong to my sister," Ashley replied in between bites of her three cheese potatoes, jumbo shrimp, and crabcakes. Suddenly, a glimmer came into her eyes and she lifted up her water glass.

"To Spencer and his amazing sperm!" she said.

Everyone exchanged glances, but decided it was easier to humor her. They lifted their glasses as well and mumbled something before they went to take a sip of water. Before they did that, however, Ashley added in her own two cents.

"To Spencer, his amazing sperm, _and _his gynourmously amazing, delicious reid," she quickly added.

Shemar cast his date a quizzical expression, which did not go un noticed. Emma decided to take it upon herself to offer an explanation.

"We're an unusual family," she said with a shrug.

Shemar simply nodded and Garcia turned her attention to the young woman. "Although we all know you and the bossman didn't engage in illegal but fun activities, what did you do exactly?"

"Exactly, not vaguely or ambiguously?" Kevin teased.

Garcia promptly slapped him upside the head with her handbag before turning her attention back to Emma and Hotch, who almost seemed to be blushly. Almost, since Hotch never blushed, just like her never smiled or blinked.

"We just talked," Emma said with a shrug. She was quite private about her lovelife and sensed Aaron was too, so she decided not to share the details of their encounter with the group.

"What did you talk about?" Ashley asked.

"Stuff," Emma replied.

"Some help you are," Ashley scoffed, turning her attention to the elusive, intriguing, brooding agent beside her.

"Help a sister out, Hotchalistic; what did you talk about?"

"You heard Emma: stuff," Aaron replied, looking over at Emma as the corners of his mouth actually twitched.

"Well, what did you do?" Zoey asked, just as determined and oblivious to social cues as her mentor.

"Talk," Emma said before lowering her gaze to her menu.

"About stuff," Aaron concluded before following Emma's direction, effectively ending that topic of conversation.


	40. Chapter 40 Dinner: Part II

Chapter Forty-Dinner: Part II

"Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one."~ C.S. Lewis

Everyone at the table chuckled and at that moment Hannah and Oliver reappeared, along with a small cluster of waitresses. Although taking orders wasn't in their usual job description, for this special group of guests Oliver and Hannah were willing to make an exception. They started with the guests of honor, who had come to a decision. Spencer frowned as Lila ordered the Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobster. Although he knew the risk of seafood consumption was minimal, he would prefer that she not take that all. She noticed his reaction, so she leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"I need some sort of a boost to help me get through this evening with Ashley and Zoey. Just be thankful I'm not ordering a drink. After Ashley's crazy antics just in the theater I feel as though I could drink an entire bottle of wine, if not more."

"Yes dear," Spencer replied, still not happy but deciding not to make an issue out of it. He ordered a Prime Aged New York Strip and Oliver and Hannah moved along.

The waitstaff made their way down the table and the newlyweds quietly observed some interesting developments. When it was Hotch's turn to order, he turned to Emma and asked for her suggestion. Since she was usually sandwiched between the more boisterous Stella and Ashley, it was nice to have someone listen to her.

Although she seldom ate red meat, she mentioned the Filet Mignon and Prime Aged New York Steal a la Stone. Stella and Ashley raved about those two dishes and the few times she did have red meat, Emma found those items satisfactory. Hotch asked what she usually ate and she replied she was fond of Linguini with white clam sauce and Atlantic Salmon Fillet. They both ordered Linguini with white clam sauce, which earned an exchange of glances between the rest of the dinner party cast.

Hotch and Emma weren't the only "couple" to go the twin route. Rossi and Stella were placing their order with their waitresses at the same time and just happened to order Alaskan King Crab Legs. After sharing a laugh, they decided to keep with their theme and order a side of hand cut french fries to share as well. The rest of the orders were placed without incident until the wait staff arrived at the end of the table. That's when things really became interesting.

"Have you decided what you would like miss?" a young waitress asked Ashley. She was a young, petite blonde who appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen. A nametag on her white dresshirt read _Carmen_.

"I sure am, Carmen," Ashley replied, handing the young girl her menu. "I will have another Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail and Lobster Bisque, as well as the six pound Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobster, Caesar Salad, three cheese Potatoes Au Gratin, and Half & Half, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc." (**author's note: Half & Half is cottage fries and fried onions.)

Everyone stared at her as if she were a creature from another planet, which was a very real possibility. Ashley met all of their glances and simply shrugged.

"What can I say? I've got the munchies," she said with a shrug. "daily marijuana usage has a tremendous affect on my diet."

"Well that is an understatement, considering the fact that you wolfed down an entire bucket of chicken at the movies only two and a half hours ago," JJ replied, not bothering to disguise her disgust.

"Technically speaking grand master J, I didn't "wolf" down an "entire" bucket of chicken because I shared some of it with Zee and K Lynch and the rest ended up on the floor and I don't eat off of the movie theater floor anymore."

"Well that's a relief," JJ replied, rolling her eyes.

"Don't you feel strange eating lobster since you are now the proud new owner of two lobster pets?" Emma asked.

"When did this happen?" Lila asked, not really surprised. Ashley had a penchant for unusual pets.

"It all started about a week ago when I went to the specialty pet store near my apartment. You know how I feel about buying pets from petshops, but I have yet to find an animal shelter that caters to the sort of pets I like. Anyway, I knew exactly what I wanted, so I made a beeline towards the back of the store and boda bing boda boom, I became the proud new owner of two baby Electric Blue Lobsters. They were the last two in stock, since the owner was waiting for the new shipment to come from his seller in Florida. They are aggessive in nature, so they cannot live together in the same aquarium, so they each have their own living space."

"A lobster is a rather unusual choice for a pet," Shemar replied, being more of a dog person himself.

"Like I said, I prefer unusual pets, so these guys are right up my alley. Here, I have pictures of them on my phone," Ashley replied, pulling her technological marvel out of her purse. She clicked until she was in her pictures and showed them to her date. Both lobsters were of course electric blue, but one had a distinctive red patch on his claws.

"Only the males have that distinctive blue marking," Ashley explained as Shemar passed her phone to Morgan and so on. "their average size is anywhere between 2-7 inches long and they typically live for five years."

"I have never seen a blue lobster before. That's pretty cool," Kevin said.

"The reason for their blue pigmentation is that they lack a gene that would give them the more "normal" brown coloration. They will remain blue for the rest of their lives, but the exact shade of blue may vary from one to another," Ashley explained.

"How big of an aquarium will they need-and what are their names?" Kevin asked.

"Despite their petite size, they actually require quite a bit of space, so I purchased two twenty gallon tanks. The boy's name is Cobalt and the girl is Azure."

"What other types of pets have you had over the years?" Elle asked when the phone finally reached her.

"Well, my parents are dog lovers so we've always had plenty of them. I love dogs as well-all animals actually. I had two cats when I was a kid-named Garfield and Nermal, birds, hampsters...etc. My pride and joy, however, is my cornsnake Scarlett. My parents gave her to me as a birthday present for my eighth birthday. She is the sweetest little thing and probably my best friend."

"You have a snake as a pet?" Kevin asked, looking impressed. He loved reptiles and would love to have one, but Garcia wouldn't even consider it.

"Oh yeah. Cornsnakes are wonderful pets because of their docile nature, managable size, and the easy nature of their care. They are crafty little things, however, and are excellent escape artists. My petname for Scarlett is "McGiver" because she can always find a way to escape any situation. I've had many a chuckle over the years when she has found her way into Lila's room. Lila is terrified of snakes, so needless to say waking up to a new bed buddy wasn't her idea of a good time."

"They have a pretty decent lifespan as well," Kevin commented. The typical lifespan of a cornsnake is fifteen to twenty years, although on occassion they could live longer.

"That's true. I had two other snakes, another cornsnake named Cranberry and a Boa Constrictor named Fluffy, but they passed away."

When Ashley uttered the names of her dearly department, obviously loved companions, a look of sadness flashed into her eyes. There was an edge to her voice when she mentioned their passing, piqing the group's interest, but they decided to spare Ashley the pain of going into further detail.

"I've always thought a tarantula would be a cool pet," Will said, wanting to break the tension. "I loved insects as a boy and even had an ant farm, but my daddy wouldn't allow a tarantula into his home. They scared the bejesus, out of him," he said, feeling wistful as he thought of his dearly departed daddy.

"I would have pegged you as more of the Alligator type," Ashley teased.

"Now _that _really would have given my daddy a heart attack," Will said with a laugh.

It was at that moment that dinner arrived. Oliver, Hannah, and the waitstaff quietly and efficiently distributed the correct plates to the correct owner. Ashley had so much food that the waitstaff placed her Jumbo Shrimp, Lobster Bisque, and bottle of wine on the table and left the rest on a dining cart.

"One of my neighbors actually has one hundred and fifty tarantulas as pets," Ashley continued. "I babysat them when he had to go out of town for a weekend."

"What about you, Emma: are you a reptile or tarantula person?" Hotch teased her.

"Oh my God, stop the presses, I can't believe it: Aaron Hotchner actually has a sense of humor. Not only that, he is..._teasing _someone and...and actually _smiling_!" Prentiss said, feigning shock.

Hotch ignored his employee, his warm, imploring eyes resting squarely on his dinner companion. He was enjoying getting to know her and wanted to hear her answer.

"I am a cat person," Emma replied. "I adopted a beautiful kitten named Snowball last year from the Animal Humane Society. She was abandoned at birth and almost died, but luckily someone found her in time. She was three months old when I adopted her and she is simply wonderful."

"I'm more of a dog person myself," Stella interjected in between bites of her delicious crab legs. "as a single woman living alone in New York City, I feel that I should take every possible security measure, so having a dog makes me feel so much safer."

"What sort of dog do you have?" Rossi asked, although he was almost one hundred percent sure what is was.

"I have a three year old Rottweiler named Meghan. I purchased her from a breeder who is close friends with my mother. They have known each other for almost thirty years and she is the one whom my mother always turns to when it is time for a new pet."

"I have a six year old Basset hound named Mudgie," Rossi replied. "I love dogs. I had a house full of them as a child."

The BAU team was surprised to hear Rossi mention his childhood, since he very seldom brought up the past. Stella didn't realize what a rare occassion this was, so she continued on.

"I love Basset hounds. I think they are so cute with their long floppy ears. Do you hunt?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do," Rossi replied, impressed that she made the connection. "My father and uncle started taking me duck hunting when I was a boy and I've been hooked ever since."

"What about you, Derek, do you own any pets?" Shemar asked him in between bites of Double Cut Lamb Rib Chops.

"I have a seven year old dog named Clooney," Derek commented as he tucked into his Prime Aged New York Steak a la Stone. He took a bite and swallowed before looking over at Emma.

"Excellent recommendation, Em. This is the best steak I have ever eaten."

"I'm glad you like it, Derek," Emma replied, her cheeks turning a slight shade of red. "although I am not a red meat person, I absolutely adore the Prince Aged New York."

"You may like it, but you've never been able to finish an entire one on your own. You usually just steal pieces of it off of my plate," Stella teased.

Everyone laughed and Elle turned her attention to Ashley. "Your neighbor actually has one hundred and fifty tarantulas? That's...interesting. I'm sure you two win the prize for most eccentric pets in an apartment building."

"Actually, we've had stranger pets than those. My neighbor used to own a lion," Ashley said casually as she polished off her shrimp and soup. In the interest of conserving table space, and her own unique taste, she dumped the shrimp into the soup.


	41. Chapter 41 Dinner Conclusion

Chapter Forty-One-Dinner Conclusion

"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, falling in love with you as beyond my control!"~ Unknown

"A _lion_? As in shaggy mane, 300-500 pounds, five-eight long, occassional fondness for eating humans..._that _kind of lion?" Prentiss asked, looking shocked.

"They are one in the same, although instead of sleeping in the mighty jungle, Konga was sleeping in the apartment at the end of the hall. I found this out the week I moved into the building and as you can imagine, I was quite surprised."

Everyone looked at her with interest as she placed her empty plates on the dining cart and replaced them with the plate holding her six pound lobster. She also positioned her salad bowl to the side and combined her potatos and half and half onto one plate to conserve space. After taking a long swig from her wine bottle, she continued with her story.

"I moved into my apartment two years ago after graduating from college. From the moment I set eyes on the building I knew I was home. I was in the heart of the city, right where the action was taking place."

"Where in New York do you live?" Shemar asked.

"The Lower East Side on East Houston Street. Where do you live?"

"Greenwich Village."

Ashley nodded and took a moment to savor her lobster before continuing the conversation. "From day one I could see that my neighbors were a little on the eccentric side, but that was simply part of the charm. Nothing out of the ordinary really happened until four days later. That's when I met Konga."

"I'm sorry, but who in their right mind would keep a lion in an _apartment_?" JJ asked, a look of disgust on her face.

"Although owning an exotic pet is still rare, it still happens all over the world," Spencer interjected. "The Berberov clan of Moscow kept lions in their apartment. The Berberovs' lion, named King, starred in several movies including the popular comedy "The Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia". King was fatally shot by then-police lieutenant and now Duma deputy Alexander Gurov after attacking a teenager in Moscow. The family adopted another lion, King II, who became a cautionary tale when he wound up killing a family member back in 1980. Experts say..."

Everyone gave him yet another glazed over look and he could feel himself blushing. Lila linked her fingers through his and kissed his cheek as JJ spoke.

"Why do you know these things?" she asked.

"Why _wouldn't _he know these things? My b.i.l is a friggin jean to the yus," Ashley replied.

Lila giggled and Spencer blushed even more. Garcia decided to join in the conversation.

"I just heard about a guy from Florida who has a pet alligator. He even lets it sleep in his bed."

"Did you hear about the guy in Idaho who kept over thirty rattlesnakes in a five gallon bucket in his apartment?" Stella asked, wanting to contribute to the conversation, and also show Emma there were worse pets than Meghan. Emma was terrified of large dogs, since she had been attacked by Aunt Arabella's very large, very mean, guard dog when she was a child.

"What the Hell did he do that for?" Zoey asked, her mouth full of Veal Scallopine.

"I guess he was planning on selling them to make extra money, but that isn't going to happen now. The snakes have been confiscated and the guy might face criminal charges. Oh yeah, then there was the genius from Indiana who pruchased a rattlesnake from a swapmeet and had to go to the hospital when he was bitten. Since he didn't have a license to own the animal he might face criminal charges as well."

"I just don't see why anyone would want any type of snake as a pet," JJ replied. "what's wrong with a cat or dog?"

Emma nodded in agreement and Ashley spoke. "There are two-hundred million pets in the United States and eight million of those are reptiles. That said, would I opt for a rattlesnake or an alligator? Hell no because that is just stupid. Having said that though, not all snakes are bad.

In fact, the odds are greater for you to get attacked by a dog or cat than a snake. In all the years I have owned Scarlett, she has only bitten me twice and that was when she was a baby and I was still learning how to take care of her. A cornsnake bite is really no different from getting scratched by a cat, if it even hurts that much. Most snakes are pretty docile in nature: they are actually more afraid of us than we are of them. They just have a bad rep."

JJ said nothing and Ashley continued. "Anyway, I was working in my apartment one night, Friday the thirteenth to be exact, when I heard a noise outside my door. I got up and walked to the door and looked in the keyhole. When I first saw Konga, I didn't believe I was seeing what I thought I was seeeing, so I opened the door just to be sure. And sure enough, curled up into a five hundred pound sleeping heep was Konga.

Apparently Jay, Konga's owner, giving him a bath when Konga decided he had had enough. Before Jay could react, Konga bolted out of the tub and ran out of the bathroom. He grabbed a tranquilizer gun he had on hand and took off after him. By this point Konga was apparently already on the third floor of the complex, so Jay had to run up the stairs and aim the gun at Konga. He finally shot him, but tranquilizers take time to kick in and sometimes even one shot isn't enough.

Jay ran back down the stairs, hoping Konga wouldn't notice him and take off after him. Well, Konga didn't notice Jay and apparently just stumbled around a bit until he was back on our floor and collapsed near my door. At this point Jay was on the phone, trying to find someone who could help him transport the animal back to his apartment, since sleeping lions tend to be a tad heavy.

When I opened my door and found Konga there, needless to say I was a tad surprised. I remember looking around and saying, 'I understand the significance of a dead fish or a dead bird, but wha the HELL is a dead lion supposed to mean?' I had only been living in my apartment for four days at that point, so I had no idea who I could have pissed off that badly."

Everyone at the table laughed and Ashley continued, obviously finding this story amusing as well. It was a favorite conversation started whenever she had a cocktail party or a dinner to attend. Morgan especially seemed to be enjoying her story, since it was refreshing to see that she had more to talk about than just her many sexual conquests, his lack of sexual prowess, and the F word.

"Anyway," Ashley continued, the mirth flowing from her own mouth. She was nothing if not an entertaining story teller. "it was at that time that Konga started to stir and I could see him starting to stand up. Not wanting to become the world's largest scratching post, I slammed the door behind me and ran back into my apartment. I had this fear that Konga would break down my door and come barreling in, so I ran onto the fire escape.

Apparently I hadn't shut my door all the way because my new feline aquaintence found his way inside. He didn't barrel in though: it was more like a drunken stupor and believe me, I'm all too familiar with those."

Everyone laughed again and Ashley continued, seeming to forget her food, which was a shock to all parties involved. "As I watched Konga make himself at home, I pulled my cellphone out of my pocket and called Lila. After a couple rings she answered and I said, 'Oh my God, Lila, you won't believe what's happening right now!' and Lila said 'If it's happening to you, chances are I probably will believe it. What's happening?'"

The laughter continued and Spencer wrapped his arm around Lila, pulling her close for a kiss. She giggled and returned her husband's affections as her sister continued with the story.

"So I said to Lila 'girl, you're never going to believe this, but there is a lion in my apartment!' At first she didn't say anything, so I repeated myself. I said 'Lila, didn't you hear me? There is a lion is my apartment!' to which she replied, "Yes, Ashley, I heard you the first time. I was just trying to figure out if that was some sort of euphemism I wasn't aware of.' and I asked 'a euphemism for what?' and she said 'with you, who the Hell knows'.'"

Everyone continued laughing and Ashley continued talking. "Then Lila asked if I was taking Meth again and I told her I hadn't had Meth since high school. Then she said she had no idea what I was talking about and that she had to go to bed. After she hung up, I scurried down the fire escape, hoping to find a neighbor to help me. I ended up at the apartment underneath mine and banged on the glass sliding door until the neighbor answered.

He asked me why I was banging on his door and I told him there was a lion in my apartment. He of course looked at me like I was crazy and I coaxed him up the fire escape so he could look inside my apartment. We watched as Konga stumbled around, riffling through my trash and even eating some of my fabric samples. While we were outside, I had my neighbor call the police while I taped the event on my camera phone. The next morning I put the video on Youtube and it's still there if anyone is interested."

"So in conclusion," Ashley said. "the police and animal control came and took Konga into custody. Jay had to pay a fine and promise not to keep anymore dangerous animals in the apartment, but he was allowed to remain in the apartment. He's become a good friend of mine and I quickly bestowed him with the nickname 'Simba', which he still goes by to this day."

"And the downstairs neighbor? What became of him?" Prentiss asked.

"We dated briefly, but nothing ever came of it. He moved out not long after we broke up and I never saw him again. Do you want to know the best part of the story?"

"Sure, why not," Rossi replied.

"I made up a song, which I sang on my Youtube video."

Without prompting, Ashley immediately started singing: "In the apartment, the tiny apartment, Konga sleeps tonight. Ahhhhh-ahh-ahhhhh, I'm running for my life!"** (**Author's note: this song comes from Nicole, who is a friggin genius, btw. Almost twenty-four hours later this song is still making me laugh.)**

"That was certainly...originial," Gideon said.

"If my original you mean an obvious parody of a well-known Disney song, yeah, sure why not. Call me Miss Original."

Everyone laughed again and the conversation continued. Highlights included funny anicdotes from Ashley about her neighbors, learning more about Shemar, and Morgan casting strategically planned glares in Shemar's direction. Lila was mostly intrigued by her cousins, who seemed to have found hookups of their own. For his part, Spencer looked blissfully happy as he engaged in deep conversation with Gideon.

It was almost one thirty when everyone left the restaurant. The Palm usually closed earlier, but management made an exception in their case. Everyone said their goodbyes and thanked Rossi for footing the bill all evening. Lila watched in interest as her cousins were escorted to their cars by their new companions. She smiled softly as she watched Shemar, Ashley, and Morgan walk towards their cars.

She observed as Hotch searched the area around Emma's car, as well as inside the car itself, verifying its safety. Emma turned and tossed her purse on the passenger seat and turned around to talk to Hotch, who rested one of his hands on the side of the car and leaned closer to her. He wasn't too close, but close enough so that they could talk and not be heard. Lila and Spencer exchanged glances, both intigued and surprised by the couple's actions. Hotch and Emma were reserved by nature and usually didn't open up so quickly to someone else, particularly those of the opposite sex.

"Somebody's in loooove," Lila whispered to Spencer in a singsong voice.

"I don't know about love, but they are obviously smitten. Look at how close Hotch has positioned himself to Emma. If a man is interested in a woman, he will stand with his body directly facing the woman, as is evident here."

"Do you see the way they are preening themselves?" Spencer asked, whispering her ear, his warm, sweet breath making Lila wet with need. Hotch was using his other hand to play with his tie and Emma was tucking her hair behind her ear repeatedly.

"Preening is normally a subconscious action that most people don't even realize they are doing. Women most often play with their hair, such as in Emma's case, and men tend to stand straighter and play with their ties, as is the case with Hotch. This signals an attempt to look their best for the person they are trying to attract."

"I can think of other ways to show someone you find them attractive," Lila whispered, standing on her tiptoes to press gentle kisses along Spencer's jaw.

"Oh really? And what might those be?" Spencer asked, moaning as his erection quickly came to life.

"Take me home and I'll show you," Lila replied, moving her hand south so she could trace her finger along the front of Spencer's pants.

"Yes ma'am," Spencer replied, grabbing Lila's hand and rushing towards the car.

Spencer drove them home in record speed, a record broken only by the speed at which their clothes were shed. Leaving their clothing scattered throughout the apartment, the newlyweds raced to their bedroom and spent the night showing each other just how interested in each other they really were.


	42. Chapter 42 The Birthday Weekend Begins

Chapter Forty-Two-The Birthday Weekend Begins

"Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind."~ Seneca

It was the next day and Spencer and Lila were reclining comfortably in their airline seats. It was around seven o'clock and they were getting ready to fly to Connecticut and begin their weekend with Lila's family. Lila smiled with amusement as Spencer rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. Her lightweight genius wasn't exactly a morning person, despite the fact he was alway up early. In fact, he had told her that it was only the weeks he had been with her that made waking up early even somewhat remotely pleasant.

Lila didn't know if it was her company or the early morning sex that made daybreak so much more tolorable for him, but she had a feeling both were going to be in short supply since Spencer was beginning to snore in her ear. She smiled at him and kissed him on the forehead. He moaned and batted her away with his hand.

"Not now, sleeping..." Spencer mumbled, his head now finding a home in the crook of her neck.

"Wow, you must be tired," Lila replied, laughing in shocked amusement at her husband. She was starting to wonder if she had the right Spencer Reid since the one she knew and loved never turned down her sexual overtures.

"Well, you _were _quite ravenous last night," Spencer mumbled, his eyes still closed.

"_I_ was ravenous last night? I seem to remember it was _you _who wanted an all nighter, my sweet, sexy, sex obsessed energizer bunny."

They both dissolved into giggles and Spencer sat up, sensing that napping was not in the cards for him. As he rubbed his eyes, he watched as Lila pulled her pregnancy journal out of her purse. She leaned back in the seat and began writing. Spencer moved close to her again and rested his head on her shoulder. She kissed his forehead and continued with her writing.

True to her word, Lila had written in the journal on a daily basis, usually more than once a day. She was also sending copies of her journal entries everyday to Diana, just as she promised she would. She had included copies of the ultrasound with the last installment. Spencer smiled as he read his wife's words.

_Dear Baby Reid,_

_June 26, 2010_

_I know we are only seventeen days into this pregnancy, but I think you are well on your way to becoming the most well traveled embryo in history. Daddy and I are going to Greenwich, Connecticut, to visit Grandma and Grandpa Archer, as well as your uncles Hayden and Antonio, and your Aunt Ashley. You are going to spend your first weekend at your grandparents' house and you haven't even reached your first month of development yet! It's been a while since I have been to their house, so in a way this will be the first time for both of us._

_My greatest hope is that you and your grandparents have a fun, loving relationship based on honesty and respect. Grandma and Grandpa are eagerly awaiting your arrival and I am certain they will give your father and me a run for our money in the spoiling department. You will be their first grandchild, as well as the first baby in our family in nearly ten years, so your arrival is a big deal. While we await your arrival, I would like to take a moment to tell you a little bit about this side of the family._

_Today is your Uncle Hayden's thirteenth birthday and we are going to spend the day playing laser tag. Like most teenagers, Uncle Hayden likes to pretend as if he is older than he actually is, so the prospect of becoming an uncle is very exciting to him. According to Auntie Ashley, he is trying to grow a mustache so he can "look the part". Just between us, I think the peach fuzz hanging n your dear, sweet uncle's face actually counteracts the goal he is trying to obtain, but we won't tell him that._

_Your Uncle Antonio, or Tony, as he prefers to be addressed, has yet to reach the age of double digits, but he is a sweetheart. His birthday is about two weeks before Christmas, so all his life we have always referred to him as "our Christmas baby". Just like that special holiday, Tony brings love and joy into everyone's lives and is so much fun to be around. Admittedly I haven't spent a great deal of time with yur uncles, but they are both great boys and I think you will enjoy and learn from them as much as they will enjoy and learn from you._

_Auntie Ashley...hmm...what can one really say about Auntie Ashley. The short answer is she is insane, but the longer, more accurate one, is a little more complex than that. Auntie Ashley likes to put up a good front for people: she builds up walls around her and allows only precious few around them to get to know the real her. There is never a dull moment when you are around her and I think she will do everything in her power to be around you as much as possible. You will absolutely melt her heart and have her wrapped around your little finger. From her, I think you will learn the art of originality, humor, fun, as well as more than you ever thought possible about animals, music, and other things that only your aunt would think of knowing about._

_Grandma and Grandpa Archer remain somewhat of a mystery to me, so we will get to know them together. What I do know is that whatever went wrong between us, they will more than make up for that with you. I think your arrival will help us bond in a way we never have before and will inspire us to truly start fresh and build a lasting, loving relationship. I hope you enjoy your first weekend at the Archer home and this is the first of many to come. Daddy and I love you very, very much and look forward to the day when you can see the house and this family in person._

_Love for always and always,_

_Mommy_

_XOXOXOXO_

"That was really sweet, Lila," Spencer said as she closed the journal and placed it back in her purse. "I think this journal was a wonderful idea."

"Thank your mother for it: she is the one who suggested it in the first place," Lila said with a laugh. "I hope she is enjoying the entries and the pictures I have sent her."

"I'm sure she is, love. I think it's so wonderful and generous of you to share such an intimate part of yourself with her."

"I just love having a mother _to _share such intimacy with. I feel so comfortable and at ease around your mom-like I can tell her anything, share any detail with and she won't judge me or think less of me. It's nice to finally have that. Besides, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have you, so I think journal entries and pictures are the least I can do for her."

"I think very soon you are going to have another mother to share intimate details with. Debra seems thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother."

"Yes, she really does," Lila admitted, surprised by that development. Lila had spent most of her life pushing Debra away, so it was surprising and comforting to know that Debra still wanted to be apart of her life, as well the life of her child.

"This weekend is a step in the right direction, love. I can already forsee plenty of visits to your parents' home in the future," Spencer replied, pulling her close for a kiss.

"I hope you are right. I want our baby surrounded with love and the way things seem to be progressing, I think I can add two more people onto the list of family."

"Who?" Spencer asked, looking puzzled. He could tell she wasn't referring to Harry and Debra.

"Aaron and Dave, or shall I say _cousins _Aaron and Dave?" Lila asked, giggling at the surprising turn of events from the previous evening.

"Lila, they have only met your cousins a few times. I hardly think are point of attaching labels to them, especially Rossi," Spencer said with a laugh.

"What do you mean 'especially Rossi'? The elderly need love too," Lila said with a giggle.

"Because of my deep, overwhelming love for you, I won't tell him you said that," Spencer teased. As Lila giggled, he continued.

"Don't get me wrong, Stella is wonderful, but I just can't picture Rossi as a family man. I think his three failed marriages add credence to the belief that some people just aren't meant to be married."

"Stella could change his mind," Lila countered, sticking to her romantic guns. "maybe the reason his other marriages failed is because subconsciously he was waiting for Stella."

"How could his subconscious make him wait for a woman he never knew existed? She was born when he was married to the first wife and taking driver's ed when he was divorcing the third one! Rossi is the reason the BAU has fraterization rules in the first place! Somehow I can't imagine him trading his way of life for one he obviously isn't cut out for. Not all of us were meant to be paired off and I think Rossi falls into that catagory."

"I still think Dave and Stella have a reasonable shot at making a relationship work. He might be significantly older than her, but with age comes experience and wisdom, as well as the ability to learn from your mistakes. He hasn't been in a serious relationship for a long time, so maybe all those years of being alone have given him a fresh perspective and insight into what works in a relationship an what doesn't-he is a profiler afterall, so this shouldn't be too hard for him. I think he would be a wonderful match for Stella-she has been alone for so long and it's about time she settled down and had the family she's always wanted. I think it's time she brought little Avonlea to fruition."

Ever since Stella was a teenager, she had always talked about wanting a little girl named Avonlea Victoria. She chose the name Avonlea because as a child she adored the Anne of Green Gables series, and loved the television series "Road to Avonea." Stella had a love for all things old fashioned and would imagine herself as Avonlea. At one point she even dyed her hair red, in honor of the main female character. As for Victoria, that was a family name and it just sounded so pretty and feminine and paired so nicely with Avonlea.

"Rossi and Stella have only met a few times and you are already casting him in the role of her husband and father of her child?" Spencer asked, disbelieving laughter bubbling from his lips. "Lila, I love your optimism and I hope Stella finds someone very special to make that dream come true for her, that man isn't Rossi. If Rossi truly wanted a family don't you think he would have had one by now?"

"No because none of those women were Stella," Lila replied, sticking to her gun.

"You are so sexy when you channel your inner Emma Woodhouse," Spencer said, resting a hand on her thigh.

"Let's just hope my matchmaking abilities are better than hers," Lila replied, moving closer to her delectible husband.

Spencer inched closer and claimed his wife's lips in a passionate kiss. Lila responded eagerly and all match making schemes were momentarily forgotten as she enjoyed her perfect match.

****Author's Note: I'm going to finish out the week for the newlyweds and possibly cover the fourth of July, but after that I plan to skip ahead a bit and have Spencer go back to work, which is when all of the real fun begins. What do you think? Should I skip ahead or progress as I have been?**


	43. Chapter 43 Family Time

Chapter Forty-Three-Family Time

"In family life, love is he oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony."~ Eva Burrows

It was a little after ten o'clock when Spencer and Lila arrived at the Archer estate. Their flight was a quick one, since a flight from Washington D.C. to Greewich lasted only twenty-eight minutes. After they descended their flight, Spencer and Lila collected their luggage, picked up their rental car, and drove to a little cafe for breakfast. Lila knew her parents and brothers had eaten about an hour ago and she wanted to eat alone with Spencer. She was trying to recover from her disorder, but she still wasn't comfortable eating in front of crowds. As much fun as last night was, it was still difficult for her to have her eating habits on display.

Spencer parked the car and they unbuckled their seatbelts. Spencer watched as Lila looked out of her window, her entire body tense with nerves. He reached over and took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Lila turned to face him, doing a terrible job of masking her anxiety. Although she had spent many years in this house, she hadn't been back in a while and truthfully, Harry and Debra's house had never felt like home to her.

"It's perfectly normal to be nervous," Spencer said, gently running his thumb along her knuckles. "but I want you to know that I will be with you every step of the way."

"I know sweetie, and that does make me feel better. I don't know I could handle this if I didn't have you. I have never felt comfortable in this house. Harry, Deb, Ash, and the boys were always the family: I was the unwanted visitor that didn't know when to leave."

"Hopefully this weekend will be a step in the right direction to change that. Harry and Debra attended our wedding, so I think that's a sign they want to change things as much as you."

Lila said nothing, watching quietly as servants quietly filed out of the house and walked towards the car. A maid opened Spencer's door and allowed him to step out. She quietly took his keys and walked towards the trunk so she and the two other women could collect Spencer and Lila's things. A butler opened Lila's door an offered his hand as she stepped out. She accepted, murmuring a thank you as she climbed out of the car. As she quietly took in her opulent surroundings, the butler spoke.

"Welcome back Mrs. Reid. It's wonderful to see you," he said politely.

"Thank you Jeeves," Lila murmured, extending her hand to Spencer as he approached her. He took it and they linked fingers, following the servants into the house.

As the maids took their belongings upstairs, Jeeves led them to the finished basement, which was about the size of most people's houses. Lila and Spencer watched as Debra and other staff members worked quickly and efficiently, turning the basement into party central. Debra looked well put together and younger than her years in dark jeans and button down shirt over a tank top. Sensing their presence, she turned around and smiled at them. Debra approached the newlyweds, giving them a hug.

"Hello you two. Thank you so much for coming. This will mean the world to Harry and the boys," she said once she pulled away.

"We're just happy you invited us," Spencer replied.

"Where are Harry and the boys?" Lila asked, looking around the basement. Long buffet tables were positioned on one side of the wall, as well as tables for gifts. A dance floor was being set up and DJ equipment was in place.

"Your father had a breakfast meeting, Antonio is meeting with his Math tutor, and Hayden is at swim class. The boys should be home any minute," she replied.

"The basement is really coming together, Debra. I'm sure the kids will have a wonderful time," Spencer replied as the three of them walked upstairs.

"I'm sure they will. Twenty of Hayden's friends will be joining us today, so I am certain we are in for quite an adventure," Debra said, her lips twitching with amusement.

She led them into the kitchen and they had a seat at the counter. Spencer couldn't get over how pristinely clean the house was. Unless someone actually saw Hayden or Antonio for themselves, there was no way to tell that children actually resided in the home.

"'Adventure' is a mild way to define twenty teenagers descending onto your home," Lila said with a laugh. "how many of them are girls?" she asked, knowing her brother was at an age where the opposite sex was the end all, be all of his existence.

"A few young ladies will be in attendence," Debra replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She got up from her stool and walked over to her espresso machine.

"Would either of you like some?" Debra asked.

"I would love some, but I think herbal tea would be best for Lila, if you have any," Spencer said, glancing over at his wife. He knew she hated it when he acted like a control freak, but espresso wasn't exactly fetus-friendly fare.

"Actually, I would love a glass of orange juice," Lila replied, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Aww, are you having cravings already?" Debra mused, grabbing the carton of orange juice out of the refrigerator as she waited for the espresso. "I drank coffee and espresso constantly when I was pregnant with your sister: I suppose that explains a lot."

Spencer and Lila laughed and Debra walked towards them, handing Lila her glass of orange juice. Lila thanked her and took a sip before responding to her.

"I'm not having any cravings yet, but I'm trying to eat as healthy as possible. I want to give baby Spence the best possible start in life."

"I think that's wonderful. I know modifying your diet and entire way of life has been difficult for you," Debra replied, returning to the counter with a tray holding the espresso, as well as cream and sugar. Spencer thanked her and took one of the cups, ladding the liquid with as much sugas as humanly possible. Debra watched him, eyebrows raised.

"I certainly hope premium dental insurance is included in your benefits package," she teased.

"Actually, sugar alone does not cause cavities-they are caused by an interaction between plaque bacteria and your diet known as 'dental caries'. Ninety-seven percent of people everywhere have this problem," Spencer said casually before sipping his espresso. Debra merely stared at him as he continued.

"Imagine a thin layer of microorganisms living on your teeth. Again, these are microorganisms, far too small for you to see or feel until they form 'dental plaque'. These microorganisms are capable of producing acid which lowers the pH level next to your teeth. If the pH level around your teenth goes below around 5.5, acids dominate and your tooth enamel starts to break apart. Teeth are typically okay if the mark is above 5.5.

Cavities aren't caused by microorganisms eating your teeth. They're caused by microorganisms living on your teeth and changing the pH balance. To sustain their life, these microorganisms eat sugar. When you eat sugar and don't brush afterwards, the microorganisms began eating, which causes the pH levels to drop, which in turn leads to tooth decay, and eventually cavities. So in other words, sugar itself doesn't hurt teeth, but it indirectly causes cavities. Brushing more often does make the formation of cavities less likely, though."

"Whatever you do, don't tell the boys that. Scaring them with stories about cavities and root canals are the only way I can convince them to put down the ice cream and pick up the broccoli," Debra teased, not seemingly put off by Spencer's monologue. He was really enjoying the Archer women, since they were some of the only people in the world who didn't treat him like a side show.

"Your secret is safe with me, Debra. I am all for getting young people to eat their vegetables," Spencer replied. "Broccoli packs the most nutritional punch of all vegetables. It is high in Vitamins C, K, and A, as well as dietary fiber. It also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease."

"I will certainly keep that in mind and pass that bit of trivia onto the boys," Debra replied, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

Spencer blushed and Lila pulled him close for a kiss, proud as always of her genius. The threesome sat for a while, lingering over their drinks before they had to carry on with their day. Debra politely excused herself so she could finish overseeing the details of the party. Lila decided to take that opportunity to show Spencer were they would be staying for the weekend. Hand-in-hand, they walked up the stairs until they were on the third floor.

Spencer found it interesting that Ashley and the boys' rooms were located on the second floor with the family bedrooms, but Lila's room was on the guest floor. She led him down the hall to the very last door on the left and opened the door, not really knowing how she felt about being in her old room after such a long time. As they entered the room, Spencer took in their surroundings. The walls were painted white and were accented with pale pink trim. The room had its own bathroom, which included a large white tub separate from the glass door shower.

Slinky white silk curtains hung from the large window, which had a large seat attached to it. White throw pillows filled the seat and the furniture was designer, obviously expensive. The main feature of the room of course was the large king size canope, which had white curtains hanging from the rods. The comforter and other bed accessories were also white. Spencer had never seen so much white in his life and hoped he never did again.

What he found most fascinating about the room was the lack of personal charm, the lack of evidence that an actual family member had actually resided here for many years. There were no family pictures on the walls, no awards of Lila's accomplishments on proud display. The room felt more like a suite in a luxory hotel than a room in someone's home. Lila walked over to the bed and sat down, patting the space next to her. Spencer sat beside her and she gave him a soft smile.

"Isn't this a fantasy for most men: being in their wife's childhood bedroom?" she teased, obviously not wanting to discuss her family dynamics or Debra's decorating choices.

"Lila, you are my fantasy anytime, any place, anywhere," Spencer replied, running his fingers through her hair.

"Back at you, Special Agent Sexy," Lila replied, pushing Spencer onto his back. He raised his eyebrows and choked back a laugh as she straddled his waist.

"Did you know when I was a teenager, one of my greatest fantasies was to have a tall, sexy FBI agent sneak into my bedroom window and have his way with me?" she asked, unbuttoning his shirt.

"Oh was it now?" Spencer asked, feeling himself grow hard with need.

"Absolutely, I would never lie to you. Presenting false evidence to an FBI agent is a crime afterall," she replied, throwing his shirt onto the floor and moving her hands to his pants.

"Do you know what else is a crime? You in this bed with your clothes still on."

Lila giggled and shrieked with delight as Spencer flipped her over onto her back. Before long their clothes were shed and they were kissing passionately, their hands all over each other. Spencer knelt between her legs, spreading her thighs to his desired width. Lila ran her hands up and down his body, pulling him close for a kiss. As Spencer moved his hips forward to claim her heat, there was a knock on the door.

Spencer and Lila pulled away, throwing on their clothes in record speed. Once they were fulled clothed and almost devoid of the guilty looks on their faces, they called for their intruders to enter. Debra entered the room, giving the newlyweds a knowing smile.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, but the boys are home and they were wondering you if the two of you wanted to spend some time with them prior to the birthday celebration," she said.

"We would love to," Lila replied, looking over at Spencer for confirmation. He gave her a reassuring smile and gently squeezed her arm, pleased that Lila was getting a chance to bond with her brothers. He was also a bit nervous, since children didn't exactly gravitate towards him.

"Excellent. The boys are downstairs whenever you are ready," Debra said, turning to leave the room.

Spencer and Lila exchanged glances before dissolving into a fit of giggles, feeling more like naughty teenagers getting caught by their parents instead of a newly married couple.

"I know that children have a way of interferring with a couple's intimacy, but I didn't think it would happen this fast," Spencer joked.

"Welcome to parenthood," Lila joked, taking Spencer's hand and leading him out of the room. He joined in her laughter, all while relishing the few of her butt as they walked down the stairs.


	44. Chapter 44 Boys Will Be Boys

Chapter Forty-Four-Boys Will Be Boys

"Whatever they grow up to be, they are still our children, and the one most important of all the things we can give to them is unconditional love. Not a love that depends on anything at all except that they are our children."~ Rosaleen Dickson

It was sometime later and Spencer, Lila, and the boys were wandering the aisles of Toys R Us. Spencer and Lila hadn't known what to do to occupy the boys, so they were relieved when Antonio suggested going to the toy store. The newlyweds walked hand-in-hand, watching as the boys ran wildly up and down the aisle, playfully shoving each other into the shelves. Spencer and Lila exchanged glances, knowing they needed to make the boys settle down, but they felt uncomfortable doing so. Finally, Spencer decided to take initiative, wanting to get some practice at the father role, and curious to see if the boys would fall prey to the Reid effect.

"Boys...it's time to settle down now. You need to stop rough housing before you have an accident," he said, trying is best to sound authoritative.

"Aww c'mon Spencer, we're just having fun!" Tony whined, shoving Hayden into a toy shelf.

"Here: I'll show you 'fun'!" Hayden replied, shoving his brother back. It wasn't long until the boys were on the ground wrestling, acting as young boys do.

Spencer looked over at Lila, not knowing what to do. She gave him an encouraging smile, nudging him towards the boys. She knew it was important to him that the boys respect, as well as like him. She knew they would very quickly realize just how amazing he was: she just had to give Spencer to nerve to work to have them realize that.

Spencer approached the boys, looking as stiff and awkward and he felt. He could feel the Reid effect taking over already and had only said two sentences. He knew, however, he had to take control of the situation if he and the boys were ever going to have any sort of relationship. He took a deep breath and nervously ran his fingers through his hair, praying for the best, but also prepared for the worst.

"Hayden, Antonio, get off the floor right now and look at me," Spencer said in a tone of voice he hadn't expected. Although he still felt nervous, his voice was calm, firm, in charge.

Much to his surprise, the boys actually complied. Hayden let Antonio out of his headlock and Antonio returned the kind gesture by ceasing the elevation of his underwear up his buttocks. The climbed to their feet and remained quiet as Spencer continued.

"I know you boys just want to have fun, but you can do that without resorting to mischef making. I don't want you boys to get hurt or in trouble."

"So what are we gonna do?" Hayden asked, looking bored. He clearly felt that at his age, he was far too mature for this particular establishment.

Spencer looked around the aisle, desparate for an idea, an inspiration. He was finally getting through to the boys and he didn't want to lose momentum. That longed for inspiration came in the form of lightsabers. He picked one up, which was a cheery shade of light blue. As he examined it, the boys nudged closer to him.

"Do the two of you like Star Wars?" Spencer asked them.

Both boys nodded and Antonio spoke up. "Yeah, but I prefer Star Trek."

"So do I," Spencer said, his eyes twinkling.

"Do you have any of the DVDs?" Antonio asked.

"Only every DVD in existance," Spencer said, his enthusiasm mounting. Lila watched with amusement as her sexy husband morphed into a dorky teenage boy before her eyes.

"Lila also bought me some collector's items and I received Star Trek collector's plates as wedding gifts," he prattled, seemingly having found kindred spirits in the young boys.

"Wow, that is so cool!" Hayden exclaimed. "Tony and I have collector's plates as well."

"Which ones do you have?" Spencer asked.

"I have Mr. Spock and The Voyage Home and Tony has Triumphant Return and Captain Sulu," Hayden replied.

"Which ones do you have?" Tony asked.

"I have those and Captain Sisco, Admiral Kirk & Enterprise, Captain Picard, Captain Sisco..."

"I have have collector's cards!" Tony chimed in.

"Ohh, so do I!" exclaimed Spencer.

"Can we come over and look at them-maybe trade?" Tony asked.

"Absolutely. You and Hayden are more than welcome in our home," Spencer said to them.

"Cool," Tony said, rewarding him with a big smile.

"Hey, Spencer," Hayden said.

"Yeah?" Spencer asked, turning around to face the youngster, who was now behind him.

"Zap!" he shouted, tapping him with a green lightsaber, which he had turned on. Hayden tapped him again and took off down the aisle.

"Zap!" Tony added, poking Spencer with a red lightsaber before following his brother.

"Hey-wait up!" Spencer sputtered, clutching the blue lightsaber in his hand.

He took off after the boys and the threesome had a glorious time running up and down the aisles zapping and poking each other. Somewhere along the way the boys-all three of them-snagged Star Wars helmuts and found the time to don them in between their mischief making. Lila simply shook her head and followed them, the phrase _boys will be boys _echoing in her mind. She loved that Spencer was getting along so well with her brothers and knew this was just the start of a very special relationship for all three of them.

It was several hours later and Lila and Spencer were in the basement of the Archer household for the rest of Hayden's birthday. Lasertag was a huge hit and of course Team Hayden won. Lila thought it was precious when Hayden was choosing teams he chose Spencer first. The look on Spencer's face was equally adorable: he wasn't used to being chosen first for anything, so he was quite shocked and touched when Hayden chose him.

After several hours of lasertag, all twenty of the children and their parents were invited back to the house for pizza, cake, and other goodies. Hayden already unwrapped his gifts and of course Spencer's was the hit of the evening. Hayden was wearing his bullet proof vest with declarations he would never take it off. Antonio made Spencer promise he would give him the same thing for his birthday as well. Spencer was sitting at the kids' table and Ashley was mingling with the other parents, shocking her family with her mature and liquor free behavior. As Lila tucked into her veggie pizza and leafy salad, Debra sat beside her.

"I'm so glad the boys are getting along so well," Debra said, her plate identical to Lila's.

"So am I. Spencer is an only child, but always wanted little brothers, so this is like a dream come true for him," Lila replied.

"I'm pleased to hear that because Spencer will have another sibling to play with."

Lila gave her stepmother a quizzical look, so she continued. "Your father and I have been trying to get pregnant ever since Tony was a year old, but with little success. I decided to have some of my eggs frozen so they could be fertilized later through invitro fertilization. Your father and I have undergone several procedures, resulting in two miscarriages, but for the most part with no result at all. Your father and I went back for one last time: we only had a couple eggs left, so this was going to be our last try. Your father and I honestly didn't think it would work, but it did. Lila-I'm pregnant."

Lila sat back, trying to process what Debra had just told her. Although her stepmother was in excellent health, she was still in her late forties, so her pregnancy was going to be difficult at best. Her father was even older than Debra, having just turned fifty nine. When this child graduated high school, they would be in their late sixties and seventies, which added other uncertainties to the equation.

Despite the very real worries Lila felt, she couldn't help but feel happiness as she watched her stepmother gently rub her stomach. Upon closer inspection, Lila could see a slight swelling in Debra's abdomen. Lila smiled warmly at her as she spoke.

"Congratulations, Debra. I'm happy for you," she said sincerely, giving her a hug.

"Thank you, Lila. Your support means the world to me," Debra replied, returning the affection.

"When are you due?" Lila asked as she returned to her seat.

"December fifteenth. Hayden loves being an older brother and Tony is so excited about getting a new baby brother for his birthday. He has always wanted to be an older brother and he is looking forward to teaching his new little brother everything he knows," Debra said. Tony's birthday was December ninth.

"You already know it's a boy?" Lila asked, looking surprised.

"So much more testing is done on a fetus conceived through IVF than more natural means, so we were able to learn our child's gender relatively quickly."

"How is Harry...Dad...reacting to the news?"

"He is pleased: scared to death about being the oldest dad at high school graduation, but thrilled nontheless. He has been accompanying me to as many doctor visits as his work schedule permits and is already telling Eugenie he wants her to bring the baby to the office as much as possible. Your sister is already hard at work on the nursery. She has been working for about a month and it is really coming together. I suspect it would have done done by now if your father and I hadn't changed our minds so many times."

Lila merely nodded, trying to decide how she felt about being the last to know about her stepmother's pregnancy. She knew she shouldn't be surprised, since this was always the case, but it still stung.

"Have you thought of any baby names?" Lila asked, doing her best to hold her hurt feelings at bay.

"We have considered a couple-Skylar, Brendan, Ryan, Eli, Stone, which was Tony's idea. As you know he is the ultimate nature boy, so he wanted to pay a tribute to Mother Earth. Although your father and I placated him by adding it to the list, don't expect Stone Archer to make an appearance any time soon. We also like Fletcher, Ezra, Solomon, and Wyatt."

"I like Wyatt," Lila said evenly.

"Have you and Spencer considered any baby names? I'm sure as first time parents your list must be a mile long," Debra said, her tone jovial. She obviously didn't notice the change in Lila's demeaner.

"Actually, if our child is a boy I have my heart set on naming him Spencer Jr. And if the baby turns out to be a girl, Spencer wants to name her Lila."

"Isn't that...sweet," Debra said.

Lila merely nodded and the two women turned their attention back to their meal, as well as to the main men in their lives.

Author's Note: which name do you like most for the impending baby Archer.


	45. Chapter 45 Reality Beckons

Chapter Forty-Five-Reality Beckons

"Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one."~Albert Einstein

The weeks flew by and before the newlyweds knew it, it was time for Spencer to return to work. The last four weeks flew by in a crazy, fun, hypersexed blur and they were both disappointed that reality was interrupting. As madly in love as Spencer and Lila already were, their honeymoon made their love that much stronger. They found something new to love about each other everyday and their relationship continued to deepen.

Lila was now five weeks and five days into her pregnancy and she was starting to feel the first few signs of pregnancy. Her breasts were tender and swollen, already two sizes bigger than before. She was also extremely fatigued, spending most of the day napping on the couch or in bed. She often joked that pregnancy had somehow morphed her into a cat. The frequent urination and nausea were also notable points of mention: although her pregnancy was still fairly early, she was already hospitalized for two days due to dehydration.

Lila also found it ironic that just when she was ready to tackle her bulimia, she found herself vomitting more than ever. It was becoming quite a challenge for her to find foods that her finicky stomach could keep down. In the past few weeks she had eaten more saltines than she ever thought possible, but didn't complain since she wanted to do the right thing for her precious baby. Spencer was his usual supportive self, giving her massages, researching healthy meals, and waiting on her hand and foot. She felt so lucky to have a husband as amazing as him.

Since Spencer and Lila were married on a Friday, they decided to celebrate their weekly anniversaries with traditional anniversary gifts. Although the presents were actually meant for yearly anniversaries, they decided to alter the rules a bit. Traditional gifts for a second anniversary are wicker and cotton, so Lila bestowed her husband with a king sized Star Trek bedset. They also surprised each other with custom made pillow covers, each having the other's picture on it for those times they would be separated so they would have a piece of the other person with them. Spencer gave her a wicker basket consisting of beach towels, sunscreen, and sunglasses, explaining to her that these were essentials for the day he had planned for them. The newlyweds spent their second anniverary on the beach, frolicking in the waves and using the sunscreen as an excuse to to touch each other's bodies.

To conclude their fun filled day, they had a romantic picnic dinner on the beach, eating off of fine red china. China was also associated with the second anniversary because of its elegance and beauty, which are two words often used to describe love. Red is also associated with this anniversary, hence the color of the china. Spencer also gave her garnet stones, since that gemstone was associated with the anniversary and Spencer gave them to her in stone form, since stones are found on the beach. Cosmos are the second anniversary flower, so Spencer made sure their home was filled with them when they returned home. The meaning of this flower is modesty, which the newlyweds found ironic since they proceeded onto decidedly unmodest activities.

The traditional gift for a third anniversary is leather since it is durable, warm, strong, flexible, and resilient, qualities that help make a marriage thrive. Lila decided to give Spencer a leather journal and new leather satchel, so he wouldn't wear out his current one. Spencer gave her a gift basket that had a variety of Fuchsia plants, since the plant represented confiding love. Tied to one of the plants was a coupon written on jade green paper, stating his willingness to help her plant the flowers. When Lila reached inside the basket to pick up a pair of leather gardening gloves, she noticed white jewelry boxes.

White and jade green were the colors sononomous with the third wedding anniversary, so the boxes were lined in jade green velvet. The first box held a beautiful three strand pearl necklace, since pearls were one of the gemstones associated with that particular anniversary. He also gave her jade earrings since jade was the second gemstone associated with this anniversary. Crystals were also associated with the third wedding anniversary, since their multifaceted surface was a reminder of how a meaningful marriage can touch the lives of others. Spencer captured this by bestowing a beautiful crystal bracelet on his young bride.

The last anniversary they have celebrated is their fourth, which was just as special as the three previous ones. Lila was feeling guilty that she wasn't doing enough to celebrate their special day and Spencer's next move did little to alieviate those feelings. The traditional gift for a fourth anniversary is flowers, so the newlyweds spent the day putting around a beautiful conservatory in Arlington. It reminded them of Saul and Karla, whom they missed dearly and agreed to call soon. The fourth anniversary flower is the Geranium, so Spencer once again filled their home with Geraniums.

Lila dried and pressed the flowers when their lifespan was complete, so she could turn them into potpourii. Appliances are also associated with this anniversary, so Spencer recorded his voice onto a small chip, which he had implanted into a stuffed elephant for the baby and a stuffed dog for Lila. The elephant of course represented Barbar, the character in Spencer's favorite movie and the dog represented the American Foxhound, which is the state dog of Virginia. Since great minds always think alike, Lila did the same thing for him, only her chip was planted into a plush star. The star was not only a tongue in cheek reference to her former Hollywood status, but also to symbolize him being the center of her universe.

Lila also bought him some clothes, including silk boxers, in blue and green since those are the fourth anniversary colors. Spencer returned the favor by bestowing on her a gorgeous blue and green silk negligee. In keeping with the jewelry theme, Spencer gave her an antique blue topaz pin, which was the gemstone of that anniversary. Fruit was also another gift given on this anniversary, so they decided to feed each other fruit dipped in chocolate. Wood, silverware, and daisies were next for their fifth anniversary and their wheels were already turning.

The newlyweds were finally settled into their new home and loved everything about it. Ashley and her team worked day and night to make their home perfect and she exceeded everyone's expectations. The newlyweds found themselves falling more and more in love with their home everyday and already had their favorite spots in the house. The bedroom was their number one choice, but Lila was also fond of the kitchen and Spencer was partial to the study, which became his "man's land." His Star Trek collector's plates were on proud display, as well as his other random geeky prizes and trinkets. The only room left untouched was the nursery, since they wanted to wait until after learning baby Reid's gender before beginning their preparations. They did, however, allow Ashley to have new, plush carpeting installed.

Ashley and Shemar were still dating and he appeared to be a nice, solid, dependable man, albeit a tad put off by some of Ashley's antics and some of the stories he heard about her. Ashley also remained in contact with Morgan, with whom she remained in contact during the decorating of the house. In fact, Derek referred her to some of his tenent who were looking to have their homes remodeled, since he was impressed with her work. Although opinions were divided reguarding Ashley's behavior, no one could take away from the fact that she was an extremely talented interior designer.

Lila's hopes for new cousins-in-law were continuously encouraged, although she knew little about the progress of the relationships in question. Spencer hadn't spoken to his BAU family very much since their get together, so he was in noposition to ask and Lila hadn't spoken to her cousins very much. Emma was flying back and forth covering the spill in the Golf, as well as a new scandal that she had uncovered in the nation's capital. A source informed her that Senator Clarice Robinson was embezzling funds from fundraisers, as well as from her own charities, into her own off shore accounts. Part of the money was used to subsidize her Vicodin addiction and the other was used to bribe a young girl into not pressing rape charges against her brother, William, who also happened to be Clarice's campagne manager, and drug smuggler.

News of the once powerful Senator's downfall was everywhere and Emma was the go-to gal on this latest story. The few times she had spoken to Lila, Emma confided that this might be the ticket to getting that anchor position she was eyeing. True to form she remained tight lipped on the subject of her budding romance with Hotch, but she did let it slip that she was quite fond of the Unit Chief.

As for Stella, she wasn't as discreet as Emma but wasn't quite on Ashley's disclosure level either. She and Lila hadn't spoke much either since Stella was putting in late nights at the museum, since she had just been recently promoted to museum curator. She had also spent two weeks in Paris on business, which was Heaven on earth for Stella since she was a self proclaimed francophile. When Stella called Lila a few days after returning from France, she confided that Rossi met her at the airport and drove her home. She was completely taken by surprise and was touched by his romantic gesture.

Spencer and Lila groaned in unison as his alarm went off. That pesky, dandardly device was a very real reminder that reality was beckoning and Spencer had to venture out into the real world once again. Spencer squeezed his eyes shut and haphazardly flopped his hand around in search of the alarm clock, eventually successful in its location. He hit snooze and rolled over towards his wife, hugging her close. Lila turned so she was facing her sexy, sleepy hubby and kissed him softly on the lips.

"It's time to get up, sweetie," she whispered.

"Mfhmph, don't wanna," Spencer mumbled, rolling onto his stomach and causing the sheet to lower, exposing his bar buttocks.

"I know sweetie and I don't want you to leave either, but you must. You don't want to lose your job now do you?"

"Mmmm...yesssss..."

"Spencer!" Lila said, giving his rear end a slap.

Spencer yelped and jumped out of bed, holding his delicious ass in his hands.

"That hurt!" he exclaimed, although it didn't really. He was just looking for an excuse to not have to go to work.

"Aww, I'm sorry baby, did I hurt you?" Lila asked, slowly making her way out of the bed. The sight of her bare skin never ceased to amaze him and he could feel himself grow hard with need.

"Yes," Spencer mumbled, his eyes darkening with lust.

"I'm sorry, Spence: if you follow me, I'll make it up to you," Lila said, casting him a smoldering look before sauntering into the bathroom.

"Okay..." Spencer replied, completely under his wife's spell as he followed her into the bathroom.

Lila turned on the water and once it reached the desired temperature, they stepped inside. They moved under the showerhead and Spencer moaned as the water hit his body. As he allowed himself to slowly wake up, Lila picked up a lufa and applied some bath gel before rubbing his body. Spencer moaned with contentment as Lila worked her magic.

"That feels good," Spencer moaned, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.

"Do you know what else feels good?" Lila asked, her voice husky with desire.

"What?" Spencer asked, already in a state of bliss.

Lila wiggled her eyebrows up and down before kneeling in front of him. She set down the lufa and ran her hands along his thighs, causing his eyes to bulge open. He looked down at her and ran his fingers through her damp locks as took his hardness into her mouth. Spencer tightened the grip on her head, letting out a cry as her mouth performed its magic; solidifying her status as the magician in their relationship. Spencer could feel how close he was, but he wasn't ready to come, not like this.

He brought his wife back to her feet and pinned her against the wall, crushing her lips with his. He wrapped one of her legs around his waist and wrapped his hands around her buttocks, pulling her close as he filled her with his need. Lila cried out and gripped his back, moving her hips in the same rapid fashion as he. Their tongues danced rapidly and it wasn't long until they were exploding in unison, screaming each other's names. One of the perks of having their own home was having their neighbors at a further distance and thus not having an audience practically on top of them.

Once the passion subsided enough for the young, over sexed couple to pull apart, they did and after a few more kisses turned their attention to what a shower was originally designed for-showering. Thirty minutes later, as Spencer was getting dressed, Lila was walking downstairs so she could prepare breakfast. When Spencer made his way downstairs, he saw Lila placing his breakfast on the table. She looked incredible in nothing but his Star Trek shirt, her damp hair pulled back in a ponytail. As he resisted the urge to spread her over the counter, she looked up and smiled at him.

"Breakfast is served, Special Agent Sexy," Lila said, giving her handsome husband a wink.

"Thank you Mrs. Special Agent Sexy," he replied, kissing her on the lips.

Spencer looked delectible in dress pants, shirt, sweater vest, and tie. Although the pants were old, the top portion of the outfit was new, and purchased by Lila. His shirt, tie, and vest were in different shades of blue and looked amazing on him. He was also wearing another new gift, something he paired with any outfit, no matter what-the scarf she had knitted for him. She smiled at him as he sat at the table, eyeing his breakfast with obvious approval.

Spencer eagerly tucked into his bacon and chocolate chip pancakes, freshly squeezed orange juice, and coffee, all while eyeing his wife's meal with slight revulsion. Other than saltines, the other food Lila found easily digestable was spinach-lots and lots of spinach. She ate it in a variety of ways and even sent Spencer to The Palm several times a week for one of their spinach dishes. Today she was eating a spinach salad paired with halved strawberries and coated with a dressing made of brown sugar, pecans, chili powder. As much as the sight of spinach tested his gag reflexes, he was pleased that his wife was able to find something that pleased her tastebuds.

"Breakfast is delicious baby, thank you. I never started my morning like this before I met you," he said, his mouth filled to capacity with pancakes and bacon.

"Then I guess it's a good thing you met me," Lila said, enjoying her own meal.

All too quickly the meal was over and Lila walked Spencer to the door. She handed him his lunch, which she packed the night before into a lunchbox she purchased for him. She gently smoothed the front of his vest and played with his tie.

"It'll be strange not having you here all day," Lila said, a knot forming in the put of her stomach. Although she knew this day was coming, it didn't make this any easier.

"I know how you feel, love. It's going to be strange not having you by my side," Spencer said, gently playing with her ponytail.

"Whatever you do, babe, just...just stay safe. Little Spence and I need you."

"I will do everything in my power to remain safe, especially now that I have two such important reasons to make it back in one piece," Spencer said, casting her a sexy grin.

Spencer and Lila kissed again, slowly and deeply, savoring the moment. When their lips finally separated, Spencer knelt to the ground and lifted her shirt, gently kissing the flattened barrier separating him from their child.

"Keep Mommy safe for me, okay Little Lila? Will you make sure Mommy rests and takes her vitamins and medicine and eats properly?"

Spencer rested his ear against her belly, as if te baby were responding to him, which was entirely possible since Baby Reid's father was a genius. Lila giggled as Spencer nodded solomnly, pulling his ear away so he could face her belly again.

"Yes, Little Lila, I suppose you may listen to Beethoven instead of Mozart this morning, but only if you promise to prefer Margery Kent and Isaac Asimov over Lord Byron..." he paused again, as if the baby were responding. "Yes, my love, Shakespeare is acceptable, but I think it would be advisable to hold off on Othello and Hamlet until at least middle school since those are some of his more violent pieces of work..."

"And speaking of work, you need to stop stalling and do some of that yourself," Lila said, unable to hold back her laughter.

"Mommy is laughing at Daddy: that isn't very nice..." Spencer said to he belly, sticking his bottom lip out in a sexy pout. Truthfully yes, he was stalling, since he wasn't ready to return to work yet...ever.

"If you go to work, I promise you can teach me a lesson when you come home," Lila said.

"What would you like me to teach you? I have a poetry book written entirely in Latin if you would like me to help you decifer its translation into English," Spencer said, playing dumb although he knew Latin poetry was the last thing on his uber sexed wife's mind.

"Spencer, if you don't stop teasing me and go to work, you will have to decifer my foot up your ass," Lila replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Lila, watch your language! There is a child present," Spencer said, his lips twitching in amusement.

Lila made a face and gave her husband a poke in the ribs, causing them both to laugh. After a final kiss and a promise from Spencer that he would call her later, he left, leaving his adoring wife in the doorway to wave him off. As he drove off, he couldn't remember any other time in his life where he left his home for work feeling so fullfilled, so at peace, so ready to take on the world.


	46. Chapter 46 Lucky

Chapter Forty-Six-Lucky

"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities."~ Maya Angelou

It was a short time later and Lila was reclining in bed, exhausted after loading the dishwasher and throwing a load of clothes into the washer. She had just taken her pills for the day, which included prenatal vitamins, her antidepressent, iron supplement, and her favorite, the one she called her Godsend, Zofran. Zofran is usually prescribed to patients to ward of nausea during chemotherapy, but it is also prescribed in cases of severe morning sickness associated with pregnancy. The medical term for this condition is Hyperemesis Gravidarium, HG, and is characterized by severe nausea and vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss, and nutritional decifiencies.

Symptoms of this condition include severe nausea, persistent, excessive vomiting more than three or four times a day, dehydration, decrease in urination, failure to gain weight, rapid heartbeat, headaches and confusion, and pale and dry skin. Lila of course experienced all of those, which Dr. Matthew-Gray attributed to her bulimia as well. It is recommended that women wait a period of time after starting treatment for their eating disorder before becoming pregnant, but this wasn't the case for Lila. Dr. Matthew-Gray, or Marilyn as she insisted on being called, was monitoring her condition very carefully and was pleased with Lila's progress. For her part, Lila was relieved that she could now hold down food for more than five minutes, but not having to use the restroom multiple times a day was nice.

Lila was currently taking Prozac for her depression, as well as Bulimia. Although concern has been raised about the side effects of anti depressents on an unborn baby, the benefits many times outweigh the risks, which was certainly in Lila's case. After considering her case very carefully, Marilyn decided it would pose more of a risk on Lila and her baby not to prescribe medication than to give her something. The recommended starting dose for treating depression is twenty miligrams, but sixty with regard to Bulimia. Given Lila's history with both disorders, Marilyn prescribed the latter dose, which was to be taken in the morning.

Typically it takes up to four weeks for Prozac to have its full effect and that was certainly the case for Lila. Despite some minor, temporary side effects, she was finally starting to see some improvements. The darkness was starting to lift and she hadn't cut herself in weeks. Best of all, she could actually eat in peace and although she wasn't ready to call herself a foody, she could finally eat a meal without feelings of self loathing, guilt, or hatred.

Lila was dressed comfortably, still clad in Spencer's Star Trek shirt, as well as gray sweatpants. Her hair was thrown into a messy bun and her face devoid of makeup. She was resting comfortably against a stack of pillow, reading a parenting magazine. Being the sweet, amazing husband he was, Spencer subscribed to Parenting Magazine, as well as other well known parenting publications. Lila was reclining comfortably, deeply engrossed in her magazine when the phone rang. She reached over and picked it up, a knowing smile on her face.

"Greetings my sexy, ravenous FBI agent. Are you missing me already?" she mused, turning the pages of her parenting magazine.

"I would sooner die than work for those invasive spys. It is bad enough that they have already infiltrated every aspect of the American citizen's way of life. Barcodes, for example, are really intended to serve as a means of control by a putative world government. That is why I won't set foot in a store-I don't want those Satanic government spies gaining access to my life. What I do is my business and they have no right to spy on me."

"Spence works for the government and he isn't so bad," Lila pointed out.

"That is because our boy is exceptional," Diana replied matter-of-factly, to which Lila agreed. "I knew he was a miracle the moment I discovered I was pregnant.

"A mother knows," Lila replied, echoing her mother-in-law's sentiments, which she had wholeheartedly adopted.

"How are you and Little Spencer? Are you still battling morning sickness?" Diana asked, always concerned about her daughter's health.

"Morning sickness, nausea, fatigue, swollen breasts; you name the symptom and I have, or will have it," Lila mused, resting her hand on her belly. She liked her humor herself by insisting she saw the first signs of a bump, although realistically she knew that was several weeks away. She also had headphones on her stomach so the baby could listen to Beethoven, but only for an hour a day, at Spencer's insistance.

"At least the Zofran is helping to curb my nausea. I was able to keep my breakfast down, which was a welcome treat," Lila continued.

"Are you still craving spinach?" Diana mused. "that was one of the foods I most often ate when I was carrying Spencer."

"All day everyday. I send Spencer to this restaurant in Washington several times a week just for their spinach entrees and he is always so sweet and wonderful and willing to make the trip, although he complains about his car smelling like spinach."

Both women laughed and gushed about their beloved Spencer before Diana turned the conversation back to Lila and her health.

"Have you thought about my earlier suggestion, dear-about taking an exercise class for expectant mothers? Not only will the exercise keep both of you healthy, but it's a wonderful way for you to make new friends, especially since Spencer has gone back to work."

"I'm considering it," Lila hedged, feeling uncomfortable by the prospect. All of her years in the limelight, and most of her life in general, taught her that most people are not to be trusted. In fact, other than select family members, the new friends she had in her life were the ones she met through Spencer.

"Lila..." Diana began, sounding like a mother scolding her naughty child, although the love in her voice was more than obvious.

"Mom, I promise to look into an exercise class soon, but I am simply too tired and sick to participate in one at this time. Your son has taken to calling me Garfield lately because all I ever want to do anymore is sleep." Well, sleep and have fantastic sex with Spencer, but Lila opted not to share that tidbit of information with her mother-in-law.

"I understand how you feel, dear: I was quite nausiated during my first trimester, and we didn't have Zofran in those days. Have you tried ginger like I suggested?"

"Yes, I did, and it has helped somewhat. In fact, Spencer made ginger cookies for me last night before bed and I had one before doing laundry."

"Lila, you shouldn't be doing strenuous labor in your condition-that is Spencer's job," Diana replied.

"One minute you want me to run a marathon and now you're saying I'm in too delicate a condition to throw some clothes into a machine. And technically speaking, I haven't really done the laundry because machines wash and dry them and Spencer will put them away."

"I'm not suggesting you do anything outlandish dear, but even a quick walk around the block would do wonders for your health, and well being. On my good days I was in a walking group with some of the other women in my neighborhood."

"When you come to visit us, we can go for a walk together," Lila said.

"I would like that," Diana said, her heart full of love for her son's wife and gratitude that the young lady was so kind and gracious to her. "your home is spectacular in the photographs you sent: I would love to see it up close."

"And you will, I promise you that. We just have to work with your doctor to find a way to make that happen. Speaking of photographs, did you enjoy the other ones I sent you?"

"The ultrasounds? Yes, dear, I loved them. It's so amazing to be able to see my grandson before he even enters the world. I'm just counting down the days until you are able to have 3D ultrasounds."

"Same here. I am going crazy with anticipating and cannot wait to see what Little Spencer looks like. Hopefully he is a spitting image of his daddy."

"That would be wonderful, but I wouldn't mind having a little blonde haired, blue eyed granddaughter one day either."

"You sound like your son," Lila chided as she tried to hold back a giggle.

Diana laughed and the two women chatted for a few more minutes before Diana had to go to her therapy session. Lila hung up the phone and pondered her mother-in-law's words for a few minutes. Although she was still sleepy, she decided that some exercise and fresh air would do her some good. Lila peeled herself off of the bed and quickly threw on some khaki shorts and a t-shirt. After running a brush through her hair and tying it with a scarf, she walked to the washroom and threw a load into the washer.

Lila liked that there was a laundry room upstairs as well as downstairs: it made life so much easier and if she and Spencer did indeed have a large family, they would need all the laundry assistance possible. She grabbed her cellphone and placed it in her purse before leaving the house, shutting and locking the door behind her. She walked down the street and looked down at her watch, another gift from Spencer. It was just after nine and Lila could tell it was going to be a beautiful day. The sky was clear, the sun golden, and she could even hear birds chirping.

She continued walking and a few minutes later and ended up at a shopping strip. Although Lila wasn't in the mood for a shopping spree, a cold beverage did sound appealing. As she approached the convenience store, something caught her eye. At first she thought it was a pile of rags, which she thought strange since the rest of the neighborhood was in such pristine condition. She approached the questionable object, which was in the back of the store next to the dumpster.

Lila had considered all of the possibilities, but nothing prepared her for what she saw. The crumpled little ball wasn't rags or trash or an object at all. The item in question was a puppy, and a very young puppy at that. It appeared to be a Cocker Spaniel and looked as though he or she had seen better days. Lila approached the animal knelt down, assessing its condition.

The animal was filthy and looked as if it hadn't eaten in a while. Lila took the scarf out of her hair and wrapped it around the animal's body before picking it up. Upon closer inspection Lila realized her little friend was female. The animal looked at her with her innocent, dirty face and blurry chocolate brown eyes and Lila fell instantly in love. After the trauma of losing Daisy, she swore she would never open her heart to another animal again.

As she looked at her new friend, however, she knew that she couldn't subject her to another abandonment, to a certain death. She cuddled the puppy close as she spoke.

"This is your Lucky day little one," she whispered. Suddenly, Lila was hit with an inspiration. "I think that's what I'll call you-Lucky."

Lucky simply let out a wimper, as if understanding Lila's words and grateful for them, grateful that she finally had a loving owner and a second chance at life. Lila turned and walked back to her house, wanting to do all she could to help her new little baby.


	47. Chapter 47 Back to Work

Chapter Forty-Seven-Back to Work

"It is not real work unless you would rather be doing something else."~ J.M. Barrie

****Author's Note: I just want to thank my wonderful Droid for supplying the above quote. Thank you for saving me from more hours of fruitless searching. You're a doll! Muah!****

As Lila was tending to the newest member of the Reid family, Spencer was trying to get used to being back at the BAU. He looked down at his watch, frowning thoughtfully as he gently fingered. Now was usually the time they were waking up in each other's arms, with sleepy smiles on their faces and lust brewing from deep within. Spencer groaned, his loins aching, but with no where to go. As Spencer silently debated what to do, Morgan approached him with a stack of files in his hands and a huge grin on his face.

"Hey lova. How does it feel to be back in the real world with the rest of us mortals?" he asked.

"Abysmal. I wish I was home with Lila," Spencer moaned, resting his face in his hands. Not only did he miss his wife, but it had been a little over two hours since the last time they made love and he was feeling antsy.

"Hey, don't worry my man, you'll be home and in her pants soon enough. In the mean time, here is something to take your mind off of things," Morgan said, allowing the files to fall onto Spencer's desk with a pronounced _thud_.

"Welcome back, loverboy," Morgan said, chuckling as he gave Spencer a playful slap on the back.

"Thanks," Spencer muttered as he took a file out of the stack his colleague so gracefully thrust upon him.

Spencer grimiced at the word thrust, since that was what he wished he was doing instead. He didn't think the paperwork was going to be very useful since he would most likely finish it in an hour or two anyway. At that moment Prentiss approached them, holding two mugs of coffee in her hands. She handed Spencer one before taking a sip out of the other.

"How does it feel to leave dreamland and join the rest of us in the real world?" she asked as she took a sip.

"I haven't left dreamland entirely," Spencer replied, gently lifting one of many pictures of Lila off of his desk. "as long as I have some piece of my amazing wife with me at all times, I will always be in paradise."

Everyone let out a collective groan and Morgan slapped Spencer upside the head, giving his scarf a tug for good measure. He was thrilled that his friend was happy for many reasons, one of which was his happiness provided him with endless material for a lifetime of heckling. Morgan tugged Spencer's scarf again and chuckled.

"Who knew that embryos could knit?" Derek teased. The scarf wasn't entire atricious, but it was kind of obvious that it had been a while since the new Mrs. Reid had picked up a pair of knitting needles.

"Derek, I know you are just teasing, but I would appreciate it if you would refrain from making disparging comments about my wife and child," Spencer said, his tone firm as he set the first file down so he could work on the second one. "I have always shown the utmost respect for your family, so you will show my family the same courtesy."

"My, my, look at you Mr. Archer, all fiesty and assertive. Who knew constant sex could inspire such a personality change in someone," Morgan joked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. The only thing he loved more than Spencer was teasing the Hell out of Spencer. He looked at the younger man as the younger brother he never had.

Spencer glared at Derek and fortunately for them, Hotch and Rossi entered the office. Upon seeing their supervisors, Morgan and Prentiss stood a little straighter and Spencer returned his gaze to his file. Hotch and Morgan approached his desk and nodded in acknowledgement to the group.

"Hello everyone. Did you have a pleasant weekend?" Rossi asked.

"Yes, sir, I did, thank you. I loved the pictures of you two on Facebook, by the way," she said, her mouth curling into a smile.

"What on earth are you talking about, Prentiss? Neither David nor myself have a social networking page of any kind," Hotch said, his expression solomn as always.

"You two may not, but your lady friends do," Derek added with a grin. "a double date in Central Park-how romantic. The picnic basket and red and white blanket was a nice touch as well."

"That will be all Morgan and Prentiss. I am sure you have a lot of work to do," Hotch said.

"Yes sir," they both said in unison before retreating to their desks like naughty school children.

Spencer returned his attention back to the file in hand, trying not to notice the two sets of dark eyes boring into him. As Spencer allowed the second file to join the first one, Hotch spoke.

"You can work on those later, Spencer. Dave and I would like to talk to you in my office if you don't mind."

"Yes sir. Of course sir," Spencer replied, rising from his seat to follow the men into Hotch's office. As Spencer sat down, he noticed pictures of Emma on his boss's desk, one of which appeared to be a professional photo. They were wearing coordinated outfits and Hotch was standing behind her, with his arms wrapped around her slender waist. Emma had her hands resting on his and her head on his shoulder. Aside from the relaxed bosy lanuage, what surprised Spencer the most was the smile on his boss's face.

Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner was actually _smiling_...with his teeth showing. It was then that Spencer noticed a strip of black and white photos, obviously taken in a photo booth. Not only was Aaron continuing this shocking behavior, but in one of the photos it looked as if he...no, it couldn't be. The shock going through Spencer's body could have knocked him out of his chair when he realized that Aaron was _blinking_. As Spencer studied the newfound evidence of his boss's sweeter side, Hotch and Rossi sat behind his desk.

"What did you wish to talk to me about?" he asked.

"We just wanted to welcome you back to work and ask how you feel about coming back. You have been gone for quite some time and I can imagine it's difficult to get back into the swing of things," Aaron replied.

"I know it will take some time to adjust, but I love my job and missed you guys, so it shouldn't take long for me to reacclimate myself," Spencer replied.

Aaron and David nodded and David took his turn to speak.

"What Aaron and I are trying to say is, we know how difficult this job can be when you have a family waiting at home for you. Thus far you and Lila have had an idylic relationship, in small part because you haven't yet had to balance work and family. We know it will be a challenge and just wanted to tell you that if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask."

"The reason this team functions so well Spencer is because we are a family, as well as colleagues, so we are here for you during this transition," Aaron added. "this job will require you to make some very difficult decisions, so make sure you trust your instincts, as well as your wife, when it comes time to make them. Do what you think is best, not what you think others expect of you."

Spencer simply nodded and Aaron turned his attention back to his computer, silently signifying that their discussion was over. As Spencer turned to leave the office, he looked over his shoulder.

"Just how close are the two of you to _really _making us a family?" he mused.

"That is all, Agent Reid. You may return to your desk," Rossi replied, looking as solomn and serious as Hotch.

Spencer simply nodded and turned to walk away. As he returned to his desk, a small smile crept upon Rossi and Hotch's faces as they resumed their work.


	48. Chapter 48 Reid Effect

Chapter Forty-Eight-Reid Effect

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole."~ Roger Caras

It was just before noon as Spencer walked through his front door. He snuck out of the office a few minutes early to have lunch with Lila and thankfully Hotch and Rossi posed no objection. He entered the house and immediately noticed how silent it was. He figured that Lila must be asleep, since the pregnancy was wearing her out. He walked up the stairs and headed towards the bedroom, deciding a lunchtime snuggle was just as good as a lunchtime romp.

He stood in the doorway of their bedroom, observing his sleeping off, entranced by her serene beauty. She was laying on his side of the side, hugging a pillow close to her body. The comforter was pulled up to her chest and he could see that she was now wearing a pale pink tank top. Her blonde hair was fanned across another pillow and she was deeply tucked into dreamland. Spencer kicked off his shoes, having been to excited to see her to pause long enough to take them off at the front door.

As he neared the bed, he heard a soft whimper closeby. He looked down and was completely shocked by what he saw. Resting next to the bed was a whelping bed. It was painted pale pink and blankets of varying shades of pink rested inside. Newspaper was also placed underneath the blankets for protection as well as added warmth.

Electric bulbs were suspended above the bed to keep the temperature of the bed correctly regulated. Spencer also noticed a heating pad tucked under one of the blankets, as well as a thermometer along the side of the bed. He also noticed a scale nearby, which incredibly enough was pink.

What surprised Spencer most, however, was what was _inside _of the whelping bed. He was shocked to discover a newborn Cocker Spaniel puppy. Cocker Spaniels typically weigh between seven to nine ounces at birth, but this one appeared to be a little bit smaller. In fact, the dog looked a tad under nourished and Spencer could see its ribs through its fur. The animal's coat was thin and the color of ginger root.

Its nose, mouth, and inner ears were a blush pink and a lighter shade of pink highlighted its face. The animal was sleeping so Spencer couldn't see its eye color, but the paws were a pinkish color as well. The creature was securely tucked into its warm cozy bed, covered by a hot pink blanket. As Spencer knelt down to examine the puppy, he noticed a leather collar around its neck, which, surprise, surprise, was pink.

He pulled down the blanket and gently lifted the puppy out of its warm, cozy home. The creature let out a loud yawn and it was then that Spencer confirmed the very obvious fact that his new houseguest was indeed female. He examined the silver, heart shaped ID tag on the collar and couldn't help but smile when he read _Lucky Ginger Reid_. It was at that moment that Lucky's mommy finally woke up. She looked from Spencer to Lucky back to Spencer, smiling a warm, sleepy smile at them both. Even if Spencer wanted to be annoyed or upset by Lucky's presence, looking at his wife's beautiful, happy face made those feelings impossible.

"I leave you alone for three hours and you turn our home into an animal sanctuary. Will our home resemble _101 Dalmations _when I return from a case?" he joked.

He was holding Lucky in his hands, but at a distance since he had always been uncomfortable around animals and vice versa. For her part, Lucky yawned and stretched her little body, all while focusing her warm brown eyes on her new daddy. Spencer simply stared at her, hoping the creature wouldn't bite him or mistake him for a fire hydrant or tree.

"I know you're not an animal person Spence, but I found her while taking a walk. She was alone and filthy-and hadn't eaten in days. The vet, Dr. Sarver, she is four days old and hasn't eaten since her birth since she was most likely abandoned at birth. Dr. Sarver also thinks Lucky was the runt of the litter, given her size and the abandonment. When a mother dog gives birth to a large litter, she sometimes has to sacrifice some of her offspring to save the others and the ones sacrificed are the small ones. Now she has a chance to live in a warm home with two people who will love her and take care of her."

Spencer watched as Lila gently stroked the animal's back and handed her the creature. Lila gently nuzzled Lucky's face with her nose and giggled as the puppy licked her face. As Lucky began to nip at her nose, Lila tickled her belly. If a simple small had melted him, watching this sweet interaction put the Spencer in whipped. He simply shook his head as Lila scooped Lucky into her hands and cooed to her.

"Lucky is so small. What prognosis did Dr. Sarver give her?" Spencer asked.

"She said Lucky was extremely fortunate that I found her when I did. She said it's unusual for an abandoned puppy to survive this long on her own without adequate shelter or food. Lucky isn't strong enough to drink from a bottle, so I'm feeding her with a syringe and butterfly infusion set she gave me. Lucky doesn't particularly enjoy having a tube down her throat and I'm hoping I won't have to do it much longer. I already have enough bottles to nourish the _101 Dalmations_, so I'm ready whenever she is."

"And let me guess love, they are all pink?" Spence teased, knowing his wife very well.

Lila giggled and Lucky let out a sound that almost sounded like a giggle as well, although they both knew that was impossible. Lila gently tickled the puppy's belly before handing her back to Spencer. Husband and puppy both looked at Lila as if to say 'what the hell?'

"I need to prepare lunch her, as well as for us. Do you mind watching her for a minute."

"Not at all, love. Take as much time as you need," Spencer said, giving his wife a reassuring smile.

Lila returned the smile and gave them both a kiss before disappearing downstairs to prepare their first lunch as a family of three. While she was at the vet, she purchased Esbilac, which is a puppy milk replacement powder. Lila prepared an entire pitcher of it, which consisted of two parts boiled water to one part powder. Since Lucky was so young, she required feedings every three to four hours. As she busied herself in the kitchen, Spencer sat on the bed with Lucky still in his hands.

"Hello, Lucky; I...I guess we're family now," he said, eyeing her nervously. He hoped for both their sakes that the Reid effect wouldn't take place. He hoped both animal and genius could happily coexist.

"I just want you to know how...lucky you are to have Lila as a mommy. I can tell she already loves you so much and you are going to be the best cared for Cocker Spaniel that ever lived. I will do whatever I can for you, but I should probably warn you that I'm not exactly a natural when it comes to animals. The exact term for my...affliction is the Reid effect and it basically means than anything furry with four legs doesn't exactly take a liking to me."

Lucky continued to stare at him and Spencer was surprised by how very complacent she appeared. She lowered her head and licked Spencer's fingers, which made him giggle a bit since he was ticklish. He laid on the bed and allowed Lucky to stand on his chest. After looking around for a moment, Lucky turned around a few times before curling into an adorable little ball. Spencer reached out and gently pet her as he continued to speak.

"You may not realize this, but there are two different breeds of Spaniel: the American Cocker Spaniel, which is you, and the English Cocker Spaniel. Cocker Spaniels were originally developed as a hunting dog in the United Kingdom, with the term "cocker" coming fronm their use to hunt the Eurasian Woodcock. Eurasian Woodcocks are a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. Eurasia is a large landmass covering about ten percent of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. Anyway, as I was saying before, American Cocker Spaniels..."

It was at that moment that Spencer felt something warm and wet on his dress shirt. He lifted Lucky from her spot and was greeted with a large, damp, yellow gift. As he looked from the stain to its innocent, oblivious perpetrator, Lila returned, carying a tray containing lunch for all three members of the Reid family. Spencer watched as Lila looked at him, a wide smile spreading across her face.

"Welcome to fatherhood," she said as giggles came tumbling out of her mouth.


	49. Chapter 49 Wheels up, Pressure on

Chapter Forty-Nine-Wheels Up, Pressure On

"Anxiety is the space between the "now" and the "then."~ Richard Abell

****Author's Note: I know JJ isn't on the show anymore, but since it's still July in my story, I'm planning on keeping her in the BAU until the day the new season of Criminal Minds premiered.**

It was just after one o'clock as Spencer raced towards his desk. He had never been late to work before in his life, so it was a surreal exerience to race against the clock in this fashion. Then again, up until a few weeks ago, he'd never had a reason to linger over his lunch hour. Even as he faced certain tongue lashing from Hotch, he couldn't help but smile as he thought about the too brief period of time he had spent with his family.

Over sandwiches and other goodies, Lila gave Spencer more information about Lucky, including the origin of her middle name. Other than the color of her fur, the reason Lila chose Ginger was because when Lila set her on the countertop, the puppy toddled towards the plate of ginger cookies and buried her face into them. Although she wasn't quite ready for solid foods, she did seem to enjoy licking the treats. This may not have been the lunch hour Spencer expected, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable, bonding experience.

Spencer smoothed his shirt as he sat down, placing his satchel on his desk. Thanks to Lucky's little gift, he had to change before coming back to the office. He looked mouthwateringly sexy in a pale pink, long sleeved dress shirt, light pink, lavender, and light gray tie, and chocolate brown dress pants that showed off his perfect ass, well, perfectly. Thankfully Lucky's aim was forward and not upward, so the scarf Lila made was still intact and around his neck. As he opened his satchel, Morgan approached him, a smirk already on his face. Spencer ignored him and remained focus on the task at hand, not in the mood for his colleague's juvinile comments.

"Welcome back, Hollywood. Thank you for being kind enough to grace us with your presence. Tell me man, how are things in fantasyland?" Morgan teased, ruffling Spencer's hair. Although Spencer had cut it a few months ago, he was letting it grow out again.

"Everything is fine, thank you for asking, Derek. How did you enjoy your lunch break?" Spencer asked.

"Not as much as you apparently. Was the missus so hot and bothered that she ripped off your clothes at the front door?" Morgan asked, chuckling as he gave Spencer's tie a slight tug.

"Not exactly," Spencer replied, snatching his tie away from Morgan and smoothing it out.

"Then what exactly? What's the reason for you coming to work as Mr. Rogers and returning as the pink panther?"

Spencer signed, knowing Derek well enough to know that he wouldn't let up until he heard the whole story. "Lila found a puppy this morning and decided to adopt her and the little thing peed on me."

"Look at you man: a new wife, new baby, new house, and new dog, all within a month and a half timespan. The little brother I never had or wanted is growing up. I'm so proud of you."

Spencer said nothing and stared off into the distance with a brooding expression. Morgan pulled up a chair and sat down, moving closer to Spencer.

"Hey man, talk to me. You know I'm just messing with you, right?" he asked.

"I know and your heckling isn't the reason for my brooding nature: in fact, your words have begun to lose effect on me. I just hate being away from my family. I feel guilty leaving Lila all alone like this in a new city without anyone to talk to. I honestly don't know how she's going to cope."

"Spencer, I want you to listen to me, man," Derek said, his dark eyes burning into Spencer's. "your wife is a strong, resiliant woman who has survived a heck of a lot worse than being transplanted to a new city. In fact, I think the change of scenery may be beneficial for her: a new home, a new start. And all of us are here to help her, so your wife will never be alone."

Spencer smiled and it was at that moment that JJ approached them, looking somber as always when she was about to present a case.

"We need you in the briefing room now. A case came in during lunch," JJ said.

Morgan and Spencer nodded and followed her towards the room. As they took their seats, Morgan patted Spencer on the back. Spencer forced himself to smile politely, but inwardly he could feel him abdominal muscles tightening. He knew they were about to be sent off on a case and to be perfectly honest, he wasn't ready to leave yet. He couldn't bear the thought of being away from his wonderful family for days on end. He sat back in his chair, his expression pensive as JJ began to speak.

"This case was faxed in early this morning," she said as the pictures appeared on the screen.

The team watched quietly as the images appeared on screen. The pictures were of a family: mother, father, three small children, a German Shephard and Rotweiler. The entire family was inside a gray and white tent with the boys placed by the foot of the mattress. The children and the mother were laid carefully on the mattress with a blanket covering their lifeless bodies. The father, however, was thrown haphazardly onto the side of the mattress, his body a bloody, unrecognizable mess.

The knot in Spencer's stomach tightened even more and the bile rised in his throat as his eyes focused on the youngest child, a little girl who appeared to be one, one and a half. With her slender frame, golden curls, and big blue eyes, she reminded him so much of his own dear wife. In fact, this child was the spitting image of how he imagined his own child. He downcast his gaze and took deep breaths as JJ continued to speak.

"As you can see, the Smith family consisted of seven members: mother Maggie, father Grayson, son Colby age 5, daughter Shannon age 3, and Theresa age 18 months, as well as their two dogs Dolton and Fifi. Witnesses confirm that the dogs were chained outside before Maggie and Grayson went to bed around midnight. Witnesses found their remains around 8:00 in the morning and alerted the manager of the campground, who in turn notified the Frankenmuth police department."

"What time were the children put to sleep?" Prentiss asked.

"Witnesses saw Maggie put Theresa to bed around seven, Shannon around 7:30, and Colby around 8. Maggie and Grayson sat by the fire pit talking until Colby came out of the tent at 8:30. Witnesses saw him and his father leave the campsite and walk towards the restrooms. They came back at around 9:00 and the boy sat with his parents until going back into the tent around 9:15. After that, Maggie and Grayson built a fire and sat outside until retiring."

"Did the family sleep in the same tent?" Spencer asked, forcing his voice above the vile.

"No. The parents had one tent and the children had another one," JJ replied.

"Did the baby sleep with her brother and sister?" Spencer asked, finding it distastful that the parents would leave a helpless baby alone with other helpless babies.

"Theresa slept with her brother and sister," JJ replied, raising her eyebrow at Spencer.

"The Smith children were so young. Is there a reason why Maggie and Grayson didn't have them sleep in the same tent or why they didn't rent a cabin?" Spencer continued. There was no way in Hell that Spencer would ever let his precious children sleep alone and unattended with only flimsy material to shield them from the elements. In fact, he was unsure if he would ever want to take his family out into the wilderness, given the apparent dangers.

"We don't have an answer to that question yet," JJ replied, her tone neutral although she knew the reason why Spencer asked. Seeing him in overprotective man of the house mode was simply precious, despite the circumstances.

"What are the names of the witnesses that discovered the remains?" Hotch asked.

"Franklin and Lily Churchill. They were in the campsite nearby with their three children Breanna, Michael, and Trever. Apparently the campground serves meals to the campers in the recreation hall and the Churchills wanted to see if the Smith family wished to join them. Their five year old daughter Breanna was the one who unzipped the tent and made the discovery."

"What can you tell us about the campground?" Rossi asked.

"Goldilocks and the Three Bears Campground has been around since 1900 and was founded by Robert and Dorothy Harrison. The campground has three hundred campsites, as well as five log cabins towards the back of the campground. There is also a playground, landromat, restroom facilities, swimming pool, go carts, mini-golf, basketball court, game room, recreation hall, indoor pool and hot tub. The campground also provides trailer, tent rentals, and is ten miles from Birch Run, which is a large shopping strip of outlets."

"What was the cause of death for the victims?" Morgan asked.

"Dolton and Fifi were hit repeatedly with a blunt object and their necks were broken. The children and Mrs. Smith were asphyxiated," JJ replied.

"Were the police able to determine if the children were killed in their own tent or if they were led into their parents' tent?" Prentiss asked.

"The police were unable to definitively determine that because the childrens' tent was in pristine condition. The bedding was laid neatly on the mattress and their toys stacked neatly on the ground and aside from the bodies in the parents' tent, that was in order as well."

"What was the cause of death for Mr. Smith?" Hotch asked.

"Mr. Smith received a blow to the head and also received several deep stab wounds. The coroner is still performing the autopsy, but cause of death appears to be from puncture wounds to the jugular vein, as well as other major arteries. There were also several stab wounds in the genital area. In fact, the genitals were removed entirely."

"Were they recovered?" Rossi asked.

"No, sir, they were not," JJ replied.

"Grab your gobags and meet me in the jet. Wheels up in thirty," Hotch replied, rising from his seat.

Spencer watched as everyone silently filed out of the briefing room, his heart lodged in his throat. Although his heart ached for the slain Smith family, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving his own. What if someone broke into his home while he was away and hurt Lila and Lucky? Their security system was state-of-the-art, but no system is full proof. There was no way his sweet, delicate wife could protect herself in her condition.

He ran a shaking hand through his hair as he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, dialing the number that didn't require an eidetic memory to remember. The phone rang a few times before going straight to voicemail. Lila had never let that happen before, so Spencer could feel the panic rising in his body as he left a message.

"Lila, honey, it's Spencer. Please answer the phone because I have something important to tell you. Call back and let me know that you and Lucky are alright."

Spencer hung up the phone, waiting half a milasecond before calling his wife again. In the middle of a second frantic voicemail, Hotch entered the room. As Spencer was about to call his wife for a third time, Hotch spoke.

"When Hayley and I were first married, I would call her up to ten times a day when we were at work. I would call her during court recesses and whenever I had to leave town. I know this is hard for you, but in time it will become easier to bear."

_'It became easier to bear because you put work before family and caused Hayley to feel insecure and second best. Of course it's easier to manage something when it is no longer an issue,' _Spencer thought, although he had enough sense to keep those comments to himself.

"I have called Lila twice and she still isn't answering. I need to go home and make sure she's alright," Spencer said.

"Would you like me to drive you?" Hotch asked. "we still have time before wheels are up."

"Yes sir, I would appreciate that very much sir," Spencer replied, feeling somewhat guilty about his somewhat judgemental thoughts. As the two men walked towards the elevator, Hotch spoke.

"I have made some regrettable decisions over the years with regard to my private life, but that doesn't disqualify me from being able to offer you support and advice, should you need it. I want you to know that you can come to me anytime for anything."

"Thank you sir. I appreciate that very much," Spencer replied, looking at his supervisor with respect and affection. Although no one could take the place of Gideon, Hotch was still an important, powerful figure in his life. Spencer liked to think of his boss as a sage, firm yet loving older brother. As the two men stepped into the elevator, Spencer spoke.

"James Joyce once said 'a man's errors are his portals of discovery and Winston Churchill once said 'all great men make mistakes, but only wise men learn fron their mistakes," he began.

Hotch said nothing, so Spencer continued, hoping he wasn't crossing the line, but figured he was safe since they were almost family. "Just because things didn't work out with Hayley doesn't mean they won't work out with...someone else. You can take the lessons you learned from that experience and apply them to your new relationship. Having a successful career doesn't preclude you from having a successful relationship."

"That is excellent advice," Hotch replied, giving Spencer a knowing look as the corners of his mouth twitched into what appeared to be a smile.

And Spencer wasn't sure if the lighting was strange in the confined space or not, but it also appeared that there was a twinkle in his boss's eyes as well. Spencer simply smiled and watched as Hotch pressed the desired button on the panel.


	50. Chapter 50 Profiling Profilers

Chapter Fifty-Profiling Profilers

"Experience, travel- these are as education in themselves."~ Euipides

Despite his going back to work anxieties, the one aspect of his job that didn't make Spencer uneasy was the jet. Everyone on the team loved the jet and Spencer was no exception. There was something very calming and familiar about sitting in his usual seat, talking with his colleagues. Of course, getting to see his beautiful wife before leaving helped considerably. Lila was sweet and so supportive when he told her he had to leave town for a few days.

In fact, she took the news even better than he did. Despite his distress over leaving his pregnant wife alone, he still took delight in seeing Hotch holding Lucky. Thankfully the little creature didn't pee on him, but she did take delight in knawing on his nose. Spencer and Lila both almost collapsed from shock when Hotch started chuckling and cooing sweetly to the puppy. Who knew it only took a hot new romance and an adorable young puppy to turn his ordinarily dour boss into Mr. Sunshine?

However, smiles and chuckles were no longer appropriate now that they were discussing the facts of the case. Hotch was standing, his hand resting on the top of Spencer's seat as he spoke.

"What do we know about the Unsub so far?" Hotch asked, his expression solomn as always. Little did anyone know, but he had a secret goodbye of his own shortly before boarding the jet.

"The fact that this Unsub was able to control a family and two dogs suggests he or she has experience. This isn't the Unsub's first kill," Spencer replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And since building this sort of confidence and skill takes time, we aren't looking for a young kid. The Unsub we are looking for is in his mid to late thirties," Morgan replied.

"I'm not so sure the Unsub is a 'he'," Prentiss interjected, her gaze boring into the photos of the grizly crime scene.

"Are you saying you think a lone woman was able to subdue two adults, two large dogs, and three young children all on her own?" Morgan asked, raising his eyebrows.

"This murder took place in the dead of night while the family was sleeping. This family's greatest protection was their two dogs and once they were dead, so was the family," Prentiss replied.

"Besides, it doesn't really require much skill or strength to hit a dog with an object. Once the animals were disoriented, it would have been easy to break their necks," JJ added, her mouth tightening in disgust.

"Okay fine, that explains the dogs, but what about the kids and the parents? How could this person have killed three little kids without their parents hearing their screams?" Morgan asked.

"The children were asphyxiated, so the Unsub could have covered their faces with a body pillow and laid on it to apply the necessary pressure, as well as control all of them at once," Rossi pointed out.

"Or a teddy bear," Prentiss replied. The team looked at the photos again and saw that three large teddy bears were propped against the wall of the childrens' tent. Unlike the rest of the toys, however, the teddy bears looked brand new.

"One of the bears could easily cover Colby and Shannon's faces at once. And after the Unsub murdered them, she could have easily suffocated Theresa.

Hotch and Rossi nodded solomnly, so Prentiss continued. "Suffocation is one of the least violent ways to murder someone and given the condition of the tent and their bodies, the Unsub clearly showed remorse for killing the children. The way they are tucked under their blanket and the neatness of the tents is almost like a mother tidying up her childrens' rooms after putting them to bed. That could also explain the lack of violence in Mrs. Smith's killing, as well as the lack of sexual assault."

"If Mrs. Smith was suffocated, that could explain why her husband didn't hear her screams," Morgan conceeded. "but how could he not have heard the Unsub enter the tent or feel his wife struggling as she fought for her life?"

"Mrs. Smith could have been in a deep sleep and by the time she woke up, it could have been too late. Besides, maybe her husband was on the other end of the mattress. Their mattress was 78" x 60", so it's not as if they had to sleep right on top of each other," Rossi replied.

Morgan considered making a joke at Spencer's expense, but considering the circumstances thought better of it. "the fact that this Unsub is female definately explains her rage at Mr. Smith. His family looks as though they are in the throws of undisturbed slumber and he looked as if he has been shoved through a meat grinder."

"This Unsub obviously suffered some sort of trauma at the hands of a man-perhaps she was sexually assaulted or abused?" JJ added, looking at her own copy of the photographs.

"Look at you, Miss Media Liasion and your profiling self. I thought you declined to take those profiling classes," Morgan joked.

"It was just an observation," JJ said with a shrug. "besides, I know how it feels to be aggravated by the opposite sex," she added, giving Morgan a pointed stare.

"Hey now, easy blondie," Morgan said, holding his hands up in mock defense.

"That was an excellent observation, JJ, and I think you are on to something," Hotch replied.

"Given the uncontrolled rage targeted upon Mr. Smith, do you think the trauma our Unsub experienced was recent? If it was, that could explain the excessive amount of rage targeted at Mr. Smith," JJ said.

"JJ, what would we do without you?" Hotch asked rhetorically. It was at that moment that the computer screen turned on and they were blessed with the image of Garcia's pretty face.

"Go ahead Garcia, tell us what you know so far," Hotch said.

"Alright kids, here's the scoop: I did some digging on our dearly departed family and what I found was basically zilch: Grayson had a secure, if not incredibly boring career as an accountant while the missues channeled her inner June Clever. She was also heavily into volunteer work and even taught Sunday school to preschoolers. Maggie homeschooled the two older children, but Colby was slated to start kindergarten at Kenwood Elementary whereas our darling Shannon was going to attend preschool at Little Miss Sunshine Childcare Center. Mother and youngest Smith attended Mommy and Me classes Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the local community center."

"You mean you didn't find anything? Credit card debt, evidence of an affair, family discord?" Rossi asked, almost looking disappointed.

"My apologies for bringing you happy, pre-homicidal tidings my classically handsome Italian crime-fighting stallion. The Smiths appeared to be an overall happy, put together family. In fact, Mr. Smith was up for a promotion at his boring, yet dependable place of employment. From what I can see, there are no police reports or complaints filed against the family, which is amazing considering they own a Rotweiller. Why they would choose to have such a large, vicious dog as a pet when they have...had...three little ones running around is a mystery to me..."

"Leave the mysteries up to us, All Mighty Technical Goddess," Morgan interjected before his computer savvy goddess could launch into an almost Reidlike tangent. "can you tell us a bit about where they are from?"

"Absolutely my tall, dark, handsome hunk of muscular, delicious federal dark chocolate. Clawson is a city in Oakland County. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area and as of the 2000 census, its total population was 12,732. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles, all of which is land. It's a nice, quiet, middle class town that makes Mayberry look like Manhattan. It's the sort of place where one moves to raise a family."

"How far is Clawson from Frankenmuth?" Prentiss asked.

"One hour and nineteen minutes. It's a seventy seven point forty mile drive that's mostly northbound on the I-75 highway," Spencer said.

"Look at that everybody: Mr. Lila Archer finally speaks," Morgan said, giving Spencer a playful shove.

"Sorry for being so quiet. I guess I was just thinking," Spencer replied.

"Now there's a big surprise," Morgan teased. "the only difference is for once we want to know what about."

"Hey, be nice to my favorite newlywed or I will hack into your personal computer and replace all of your icky, naked girl websites with a picture slidshow of Kevin in his bathtowel...and less...much, much less..."

Just as Garcia was starting to drool and Morgan was being scarred for life with that rather frightening imagine, a trying-not-to-look-amused-Hotch spoke.

"Good work so far Garcia, but I need you to do more digging. I want to learn more about the campground: the owners, managers, employees, vendors, as well as other campers. Check to see if any complaints have been made against the campground and whether or not any police reports have ever been filed. Call as soon as you find something."

"Okey and Dokey my all-too-serious-yet-devilshly-handsome-cap-eh-tan," Garcia replied.

"Now, now Garcia, performance reviews aren't for another six months, so there's no need to start brown nosing now," Hotch said in his usual deadpan manner.

Everyone looked at Hotch in shock, not used to their bossman so blatently displaying his humerous side. Without missing a beat, Hotch continued.

"Reid and Morgan, I want you with me at the campground so we can begin interrogations and get a feel of the area. JJ, I want you to meet with the police chief and take control of the media coverage. Rossi and Prentiss, I want the two of you in Clawson talking to the Smith's neighbors and learning more about their lives. There's a killer on the loose and she won't stop until we force her to."

Everyone nodded solomnly and decided to relax for the remainder of the flight. JJ walked towards the back of the jet, already on the phone with the chief of police. Prentiss and Rossi were playing chess and Morgan was trying to find a comfortable position in his chair so he could take a quick nap. Spencer pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked to see if he had any new messages. Sure enough, there was a new message in his inbox, which had an image attached to it. He clicked on it and when he saw the image, a smile spread across his face. It was a picture of Lila cuddling Lucky to her cheek as she held the phone out to capture the image. Underneath the photo was a short, sweet message.

_Lucky, Baby Spence and I just wanted to check in with our favorite sexy FBI agent. We love you very, very much and hope you stay safe and come home as soon as possible. We are so proud of you and can't wait to hear from you. Good luck and don't forget to kick some Unsub ass._

Spencer laughed and began typing a response to his amazing yet goofy family. As his thumbs worked their literary magic, he looked up and noticed Hotch displaying the slight smile that had become more and more common over the last few weeks. His head was down and his thumbs brushed discreetly across the keys, his blackberry resting securely in his hands. It was obvious to Spencer that he was enjoying a sweet, secret conversation of his own.

****Author's Note: Although I am taking creative liberties with some things, Frankenmuth and Clawson are real cities in the great state of Michigan, which is where yours truely resides. My family and I went to Frankenmuth several times a year when as I was growing up and in fact, I went there last Christmas with some dear friends of mine. Frankenmuth is such a cool place and I emplore all of you to see it for yourselves one day.**

**I was raised in Clawson and it is very much a small, quiet nondescript town. Granted, my street wasn't as quiet as the Smith's neighborhood, but at least the city itself is real!**


	51. Chapter 51 The Case Begins

Chapter Fifty-One-The Case Begins

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."~ Henry Ford

In a relatively short period of time, Spencer, Hotch, and Morgan were arriving at Goldie Locks and the Three Bears Campground. Spencer sat back in quiet observation as Hotch led their black SUV down the dirt road. Spencer had never been camping before, so coming to this campground was a new experience for him. Despite the grisly reason for their visit, the campground itself was lovely, radiating in old fashioned, family-friendly fun. Gruesome family slaying aside, this was the kind of place he could see himself taking Lila, Lucky, and their own family.

Spencer was hardly the outdoor type, but something about pitching a tent and sitting around a blazing fire roasting marsh mellows and hotdogs with the people and animal he loved most made his heart melt. Hotch slid into an empty parking spot with ease and the foursome quietly exited the vehicle. They were parked directly in front of the gift shop, which was next to the recreation hall and Laundromat. The wood buildings had a turn of the century log cabin charm to them  
and fit in perfectly with the serene, earthy beauty that the campground embodied.

The threesome entered the gift shop and took in their simple surroundings. It was a quiet, nondescript little place with the usual, slightly overpriced, destined-for-garage-sale items vacationers excitedly buy but never use. As Spencer appreciatively scoured a shelf of coffee mugs and Morgan debated whether or not eighty dollars was indeed an appropriate price for a grey, men's sweatshirt featuring three cartoon bears and their golden haired nemesis, a figure came out from the backroom.

The threesome stood quietly as a middle-aged, perfectly ordinary gentleman emerged from the back room. He appeared to be in his mid-to late forties with thinning, light brown hair and eyes that were a hair too small and close together, and the beginnings of what appeared to be a mustache. He was of average height and weight and gave off a laid-back, easily forgettable vibe. He was wearing faded jeans and the same grey sweatshirt that sparked Morgan's bemused interest. He extended his hand to Hotch and gave a total adequate handshake. Hotch returned the pleasantry, although his handshake clearly demonstrated who was the alpha male was between the two of them.

"Hello, you must be from the FBI. I'm Bob Harrison, the assistant manager."

"How do you do? My name is Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner and this is Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan," Hotch said, gesturing towards Morgan who stepped forward to give Mr. Harrison an alpha handshake of his own.

"And this is Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid," Hotch said, gesturing towards Spencer, who had moved on from the mugs and was now examining the sweatshirts and other various knick knacks. Despite the dire circumstances that brought the team here, this really was an adorable establishment and he wanted to bring home some souvenirs for his family. Hotch cleared his throat rather loudly, startling Spencer back into reality. He whirled around and presented Bob with his signature wave.

"Bob Harrison...that's the name of the gentleman who help found this place," Spencer replied, demonstrating that even though he wasn't paying attention to the conversation, he was still abreast of the facts of the case.

"Yes, sir, that is correct. I was named after my great grandfather since I was born on his birthday," Bob replied.

"Has this establishment always been in the family?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, sir. This campground has been in business for over one hundred years and it is run entirely by family. My mother and father managed the grounds together until dad's death a year ago. After his death, my family and I moved back here so I could help her manage the grounds."

"Where were you and your family living?" Spencer asked.

"Boston, which is where my wife is originally from. After we got married, we decided to live there because my wife is so close to her family."

"How has your family coped with the move?" Hotch asked.

"As well as can be expected. My two older kids, Sammy and Kaydence decided to remain in Boston because they wanted to finish school with their friends and didn't want to leave their boyfriend and girlfriend behind."

"How old are your children?" Spencer asked.

"Sammy and Kaydence are twins-fraternal twins-and they are turning seventeen next month. Our youngest child, Abby, just turned six. She and my wife, Maggie, are attached at the hip, so she came with us."

"Where are your wife and child currently?" Hotch asked.

"They are at home. My wife was laid off from her job a few months ago, so she has been a stay-at-home mom ever since."

"Who is on the premesis at this time?" Hotch asked.

"My mother and brother Oliver are in the information office and my other brothers and sister are at various places on the grounds."

"Who was here last evening?" Hotch asked.

"My mother and siblings, in laws, aunts, and uncles. We had an event here last night, so the whole family was here pitching in."

"What was the event?" Morgan asked.

"At six o'clock my sister and brothers dressed as Goldie Locks and the Three Bears and put on a play for the children. Afterwards we had a cookout, face painting, and different games for the kids. The festivities died down around ten and my family and I were here until a little after midnight cleaning up afterwards."

"Is in common for you and your family to be on the grounds so late?" Morgan asked.

"If an event is taking place or we are going over the books, we will put in late nights, but typically we leave around nine or ten o'clock."

"Did your wife and daughter attend the festivities?" Spencer asked.

"No, Maggie and Abby stayed home. They don't come to the grounds very much," Bob said.

The three men exchanged glances, making notes in their notebooks. After a few minutes, Hotch looked up from his notebook and spoke.

"I would like to speak to the rest of your family, so if you could please have them meet us somewhere that would be most helpful."

"Yes, sir. The recreation hall is right next store and has plenty of room-will that suit you?" Bob asked.

"Yes it would, thank you," Hotch replied.

Hotch and Bob walked off together and Morgan pulled out his phone to call JJ. She was with the police chief trying to get the press under wraps and keep the situation under control. While Hotch and Morgan focused on the case, Spencer found his attention wandering back the the goodies on the shelf. He wasn't sure whether or not it was appropriate to buy presents for his wife while he was on a case, but Hotch's wrath was the price he was willing to pay to see the look of happiness in his wife's eyes. After carefully searching the shelves and selecting a few coffee mugs for himself, he selected a Goldi Locks and the Three Bears figurine, which consisted on the foursome standing together on one stand, with the name and logo of the park underneath.

For Lucky he purchased a dog collar and bowls, and for the baby, he selected an adorable patchwork quilt. On impulse, he also bought matching sweatshirts for himself, Lila, and Lucky. He wasn't sure what size would be appropriate since the dog was so small, but he decided to go a size bigger since she would grow into it. After making his final selection, he walked up to the counter, where Bob and Hotch were in deep conversation. He discreetly set his items on the counter and Bob began ringing them up. Spencer cast a sideways glance at Hotch, expecting to see a look of displeasure, only to find his boss holding a giftbag of his own. Spencer decided not to acknowledge this discovery and Hotch had apparently made the decision not to explain himself. With this quiet understanding between them, the three men began talking some more.


	52. Chapter 52 The Plot Thickens

Chapter Fifty-Two-The Plot Thickens

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them."~ Galileo Galilei

It was some time later and Spencer was en route to Bob and Maggie Harrison's house. After Bob showed the three men around the campground, Spencer volunteered to speak with Maggie, so the team could get a better idea of the family dynamic, as well as establish her alibi. Hotch and Morgan remained behind to speak further with Bob, as well as the rest of the family. The Harrison's house was only about ten, fifteen minutes away from the campground, so the drive wasn't a long one at all. Spencer actually enjoyed it, since Frankenmuth was such a lovely, picturesque town.

Homicidal unsub aside, he knew Lila would love it here. Bob and Maggie's home was a colonial style place and was build by the family in the fifties as an investment. As luck would have it, the previous family that lived in the house was evicted around the time Bob, Maggie, and Abby took possession of the property. The house was mostly made of brick, save for the aluminum siding used on the second story of the house. It had three bedrooms, two full baths, and a two car, attached garage.

There were two large trees on the property, one in the front and one in the back. There was another tree in the front yard as well, only one was skinnier and half the size of the two, much larger ones. There was a row of bushes in the front and the home appeared to be in perfect order. As Spencer climbed out of his car and walked up to the front door, he noticed a pink jump rope laying on the lawn. He bent down to retrieve the toy, knowing little Abby would want it back.

He knocked on the door and it wasn't long at all until it opened and he was greeted by an attractive, middle aged woman. She appeared to be in her early forties and had shoulder length, medium blonde hair, which was held back in a ponytail. She was faired skin with a clear complexion and a face totally devoid of makeup. Her eyes were a pale blue and had dark circles under them, as if she hadn't slept in a while. She appeared to be around 5'7 with an athletic build.

She was wearing grey sweatpants and a black, thin, long sleeved black shirt. As Spencer observed her closer, he could see a slight swelling in her abdomen. As she eyed him with interest, Spencer spoke.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Spencer Reid and I am with the FBI," he started, holding up his ID and badge so she could inspect them. "I'm here to ask you a few questions about what happened at your family's campground."

"You mean the murders? Oh yes, come in," Maggie replied, standing aside so he could come in.

Spencer entered the house and removed his shoes, since he noticed Maggie was barefoot. They were standing in the living room, which was a decent sized space with tan carpeting, white walls, and dark brown curtain rods, from which white curtains hung. There was a couch in front of the window, a coffee table, two arm chairs, and a plasma tv hanging across from the couch. The most interesting part of the room was the stone fireplace, which was on the wall opposite the couch. The dining room flowed from the living room and that space seemed somewhat larger than the living toom. There was a large window in that room along with manilla colored curtains, a round, dark wood table with six chairs, and a china cabinet.

Maggie led Spencer into the kitchen, where he could see she was in the midst of preparing dinner. The kitchen wasn't the largest kitchen Spencer had ever seen. In fact, this kitchen was about half the size of his own. However, there was plenty of cabinet and counter space, as well as a dishwasher. The cabinets were a light brown wood and there was the standard microwave, stove, and refrigerator. Spencer could see a large mixing bowl on the counter, as well as a package of family size ground chuck on the counter, as well as other ingredients. As Maggie dumped the meat into the bowl, Spencer spoke.

"Did you ever have any contact with the Smith family?" Spencer asked, trying to keep out of her way as she worked quickly.

"No, I did not. I don't go to the campground very much," Maggie replied, throwing away the empty packaging and cleaning off the counter space before adding the other ingredients.

"Why is that?" Spencer asked, watching as she added two eggs, breadcrumbs, and some ketchup to the meat.

"There's no ominous reason: I'm simply too busy to make frequent trips and besides, I'm not really a nature girl. I can't really see myself skipping along the cobblestone walkway along the river's edge," Maggie said with a laugh.

"When was the last time you _were _at the campground?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, I couldn't really say, maybe a few months. We've been here a year and a lot has happened in that time," Maggie said, chopping green and yellow peppers and dropping them into the bowl.

It was at that moment that Spencer heard someone bounding down the stairs. He looked over and saw an adorable blonde haired, blue eyed little girl. She was wearing khaki shorts and a white eyelet, empire waist tank top with pink flowers. Her hair was just above shoulder length in length and was in pigtails. She looked up and smiled at Spencer, displaying two missing front teeth and two missing bottom teeth.

"Hi!" she said, her high voice squeeking in excitement.

"Hello. You must be Abby," Spencer said, smiling at the child. With her angelic looks, she was exactly the way Spencer envisioned his own daughter.

"How did you know that?" Abby asked, looking amazed that this stranger knew her name

"He's with the FBI honey, and they know _everything_," Maggie replied, giving Spencer a little wink.

"What's the FBI?" Abby asked.

"It's like the police," Spencer replied, bending down to the girl's level and showing her his badge and ID.

"Ohhh, can I see?" Abby asked as she took Spencer's wallet out his his hands. She also took her jump rope out of his hands as well.

"Look Mommy, isn't this cool?" Abby exclaimed, making it clear it would be exceedingly difficult to get his wallet back. Truth be told, if Spencer could allow her to keep his badge he would.

"Yes honey, that is very cool," Maggie replied, taking a break from meal preparation to interact with the pint sized cutie.

"My mommy has my brother in her belly. That's why it's so big," she said matter-of-factly.

"Abby Elizabeth!" Maggie exclaimed, her face turning crimson as she tried to hold back her laughter. Spencer grinned as well, doing a poor job of masking his amusement.

"Well, it's true," Abby replied, not appreciating her mother's laughter. "she's also old, but that's okay. She's still nice and plays games with me."

"Really? What kind of games?" Spencer asked.

"We swing on the swings, play hopped scotch, jumped roped, drawl with sidewalk chalk, play tag...we even have a special, new game!" Abby said, her eyes lighting up. "we played it two times."

"What sort of game is it?" Spencer asked.

Abby opened her mouth, but Maggie wiped her hands, walking over to her. She rested her hands on her shoulders and spoke.

"Why don't you give Agent Reid his wallet back and go outside and play, so he and I can talk for a while?" she said.

"Okay. Bye!" Abby said, handing Spencer his wallet as she left the room. Spencer stood back up and Maggie resumed her cooking.

"She is a beautiful child," Spencer commented.

"Thank you. She can be a handful at times, but she is so sweet and fun. She certainly keeps me busy," she said, picking up her knife so she could dice an onion.

"You're going to be even busier still," Spencer commented, gesturing towards her abdomen. "you're four, five months along?"

"I'm due around Thanksgiving," Maggie said, looking impressed. "this wasn't a planned pregnancy, but I am happy about it nontheless. I certainly have the time for a new child," she added, placing the diced pieces into the bowl.

"When were you let go from your job?" Spencer asked.

"About eight months ago. I was VP of a marketing agency that went bellyup," Maggie said.

"What did you do before moving to Michigan?" he asked.

"I was VP of sales at Harper, Harper, and Collins for fifteen years," she replied, referring to a well known computer company in Boston.

"Do you know of anyone with a grudge against your in-laws or the campground?" he asked.

Maggie thought for a moment before speaking. "Well, the family that lived here wasn't exactly fond of my mother-in-law. They were evicted just before we moved here."

"What do you mean they weren't fond of her?" Spencer asked.

"From what Bob was told by his mother, the husband was screaming at her, calling her names, saying she was railroading them and she wouldn't get away with it. Gloria, my mother-in-law, called the police and had him arrested. He was so upset he punched a cop as he was being dragged away. It was quite a sight from what I'm told."

"Do you remember the name of the family that lived here?" Spencer asked.

"Not really. Like I said, this happened a year ago and so much has happened since then. I think his name was Bill and their had a really common last name: Brown, Smith, something like that."

"Thank you for your time. I'll see myself out," Spencer said.

Maggie nodded and Spencer exited the house, pulling out his cellphone. He pressed speed dial and was rewarded with the sound of his favorite technical goddess. Okay, she was his _only _technical goddess, but she was still pretty damn awesome in his eyes.

"Greetings my uber sexy genius," she replied, chipper as always.

"Garcia, I need a favor from you. I was wondering if you oculd possibly find the name and location of the family that lived here prior to the Harrisons."

"Sweetcheeks, if you really have to question whether or not I can complete a task that miniscule, then you obviously don't know me very well. Because I am not just another pretty face, I already found that information for you. The disgruntled couple in question is Sharon and Bill Jones. They have five children and currently reside with Sharon's parents at 94 Charlevoix, which is in Clawson."

"Clawson? That's where..."

"the Smith family resided? You are entirely correct my love. In fact, they lived about ten minutes away from each other."

"Thanks Garcia."

"Anytime my sexalicious compadre."

After hanging up with Garcia, Spencer called Rossi and Prentiss to inform them of his discovery. They were busy interviewing friends and neighbors of the Smiths and asked Spencer if he could drive down and interview the Jones family. Spencer agreed and after checking in with Hotch, climbed in his car to make the hour long journey.


	53. Chapter 53 Keeping up with the Joneses

Chapter Fifty-Three-Keeping up with the Joneses

"It is difficulties that show what men are."~ Epictetus

****Author's Note: I actually grew up on 94 Charlevoix in Clawson, Michigan, so this place and this house are very real. It's interesting to stroll down memory lane and re-visit my childhood. Happy reiding!**

It was over an hour later and Spencer was in the quiet town of Clawson, Michigan. Clawson was a quiet, humble place where knowing your neighbor was almost a given. Spencer drove down Main Street, taking in his surroundings. There were shopping strips, restaurants, a grocery store, nothing out of the ordinary. The highlight of the street was a Dairy Queen, which had been in the town for generations.

It was next to a small, three business shopping strip. Spencer couldn't make out what the other two places were, but the one in the middle was a locksmith. The strip was made of brick and had a walkway as well as a wheelchair ramp. It was a charming sight and to further demonstate that this business did in fact specialize in the making of keys, a large one was nailed next to the door. Spencer found that amusing and knew Lila would as well.

The Dairy Queen was within walking distance of Charlevoix, so Spencer decided he had time to stop for a quick treat. He wasn't sure if it was appropriate to stop for an ice-cream break while in hot pursuit of a family annihilater, but he reasoned that what Hotch didn't know couldn't hurt him. He parked in the small parking lot, walked up to the building and ordered vanilla ice cream with raspberry sauce. He sat at white table with a striped umbrella, looking around as he favored his treat. There were four other tables and next to him was a young couple with their children.

They appeared to be around the same age as him and Lila and their son appeared to be around two. Their daughter appeared to be around a year and both children were completely enamoured with their ice cream. The little girl was holding a vanilla cone, smearing the sweet treat on her adorable, chubby face. As her mother cleaned her off and her father walked off to get more napkins, the little boy lowered his strawberry cone so the golden retriever at the neighboring table could have a lick. Spencer chuckled at the sight and hoped his own child wouldn't get any ideas.

With his sweet confection now devoured, Spencer rose from his seat, disposed of his garbage, and walked back to his car. He climbed in and pulled out of the driveway, resuming his journey. Charlevoix was on the right side of the road, right after the carwash and an empty office building. Spencer turned onto the street and it wasn't long until he was at his destination. The house was the middle one on the right side of the street and was as quiet and non descript as the others on the block.

The house was ranchstyle with brown siding and a white porch with a ramp as opposed to stairs. The front lawn was perfectly mowed and there was a colorful flower garden as well. On the far right of the garden was a statue of the Virgin Mary underneath a small white arch. Spencer parked on the street and climbed out, continuing his silent observation. On the sidewalk was a colorful confection of colors, obviously made by sidewalk chalk.

There were two vehicles in the driveway: a tan Sudan and a dark blue van. Spencer walked up the driveway and looked into the backyard. There was a simply fence with a large white archway with green vines teisting around it. In the backyard was a swing set, sandbox, above ground pool, large slide, and playhouse. There was a large tree in the neighboring yard and it was leaning slightly into this one, causing leaves to fall.

Beside the patio was a miniature pine tree and next to the playhouse was a garden. Spencer could see rows of tomatos, green peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and green beans. He could also see an elderly couple sitting on the porch in their patio chairs, which were pulled up to a table with an umbrella. They were sipping lemonade and conversing quietly with one another. Spencer stood quietly at the gate, observing them until the gentleman noticed him.

He picked up his cane and walked towards Spencer, his movements stilted. The man appeared to be around 5'7 with a slight pooch in his abdomen. He had thin whitish grey hair and liverspots all over his body. He wore thin framed glasses, short sleeved, pale blue linen shirt, and khaki pants. He adjusted his glasses as he looked up at Spencer.

"Yes? May I help you?" he asked.

"My name is Supervisory Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid and I am with the FBI," Spencer said, showing the elderly gentleman his badge and ID. "I understand that your daughter and her family live with you, is that correct?"

"Yes, yes that is correct. What is this about?" the elderly man asked.

"I need to talk to Sharon and Bill about their previous landlord, Gloria Harrison," Spencer said. "are they here right now?"

"My daughter isn't, but Bill is. Here, come in," the man said, opening the gate for Spencer.

Spencer entered the backyard and the man identified himself as Donald Williams and his wife as Martha. Spencer said hello to her and the threesome entered the house. As soon as they walked in through the back door, there was a staircase leading to the basement. Martha excused herself to go into basement to start laundry. On the other side of the hall was the bathroom.

Artwork and homework completed by the children were proudly displayed on the walls. Spencer and Donald walked down the hall and into the kitchen. The kitchen was decorated like a 1950s diner, complete with black and white tiled floors and large records on the walls. To the left, Spencer could see a door, which led into one of the two bedrooms. The kitchen flowed into the dining room, which was painted mauve with white trim.

There was a round table and chairs and a china cabinet in the corner. On the left side there was a door, leading into the final bedroom. The dining room flowed into the living room, which was painted forrest green with white trim. In the living room was a couch, two arm chairs, entertainment system, coffee table, and fireplace. Spencer could see a man sitting on the couch with two children, but could hear others in the background. Donald walked back to the counter, where he was in the process of preparing dinner. As he placed slices of cheese onto pieces of white bread, he called out for his son-in-law.

"Bill! You have company!" Donald called, placing the other slices of bread onto the sandwiches.

Donald was placing the sandwiches on the griddle when Bill entered the room. He was about 5'10 with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and an average build. He was wearing jeans and a faded black t-shirt. Spencer introduced himself to Bill and asked if there was a spot where they could talk. Bill suggested the front porch and led Spencer through the rest of the house.

When they entered the living room, Spencer saw the five children. They looked up and eyed their visitor with interest. Spencer was equally interested in them and his heart immediately went out to the Jones family. The two dark haired children on the couch, a twelve year old girl and a ten year old boy, appeared to be developmentally normal. Two of the other children, an eight year old boy and a six year old girl, were both in wheelchairs.

There was another child in the room, a golden haired little boy playing with toy cars on the floor. Spencer watched as the child lined the cars in a perfect, single file line. He tapped his finger on each one and moved his mouth, as if counting them. He moved his finger back and forth and lifted his other hand, pulling at his hair. The girl went over to him, moving his hand away from his head. Bill nodded to the children and began the introductions.

"That is my oldest daughter Chelsea and my youngest son Aidan," Bill said. "Dylan is my older son," he continued, nodding to the ten year old, who was staring at Spencer with curiosity. "my other daughter is Melanie and my other son is Liam. Kids, this is Spencer. We're going to talk outside for a while, so if you need anything, Nannie and Papa are here."

"Are you a lawyer?" Chelsea asked, sitting on the floor so she could play with Aidan.

"No, I'm not. I work for the FBI," Spencer said, showing her his badge. "why did you think I was a lawyer?"

"Because Daddy has been talking to lawyers a lot lately," Chelsea said with a shrug.

"Let's go outside," Bill said, opening the front door so he and Spencer could go onto the porch. The two men sat in their chairs and Spencer turned his so he could look at Bill.

"Why have lawyers been making frequent trips here?" he asked.

"It's because of that bitch Gloria Harrison. She not only forced me and my family out of our home, but she's been out to destroy us as well," Bill said, rage burning in his eyes.

"Let's start at the beginning. When and why did you move into her home? Were there problems from the beginning and if not, what caused them?" Spencer asked, his tone neutral, although his profile antenna was on high alert.

"My family and I moved into her house two years ago. I was transferred from my office in Traverse City to one in Flint, so we had to move. I worked as a drug rep for a pharmeutical company distributing anti depressant medications. Sharon didn't want to live in Flint, though, because she felt it was an unsafe city in which to bring up children. She also wanted out kids to experience small town living and Frankenmuth is as small and charming as you can get. We looked at a few places and ultimately decided that the Harrison house was the perfect one for us. There was plenty of space for Chelsea, Dylan, and Aidan to run about and the neighborhood was quiet and peaceful enough for Liam and Melanie's well being."

Bill look down and rubbed his face before continuing. "I'm sure you noticed three of my children are...different."

Spencer nodded before saying: "Yes, but I'm sure their disabilities don't make you love them any less and they certainly don't make your children inferior in any way."

Bill continued as if he hadn't heard that response. "Four years ago our family seemed perfect: Chelsea and Dylan were in school full time and absolutely thriving. They were incredibly smart at an early age and were always ahead of their peers in terms of their development. Liam and Melanie were also coming into their own and their little personalities were starting to shine through. Then everything changed.

Sharon and I started noticing that Liam wasn't as coordinated as children in his preschool class. He was forever dropping things or tripping over his own feet. We tried to write this off as a lovable quirk, but other symptoms started to emerge. He had an extremely difficult time getting up from lying or sitting positions, so either Sharon, myself or one of the older children had to help him up. His preschool teacher also stated he was behind his peers developmentally and suggested we have him tested for mental retardation.

We took him to his peditrician and not only was he diagnosed with mild retardation, but..." Bill downcast his gaze and looked away, as if unable to admit what Spencer already knew. "...but with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy."

"Was this the same time you discovered Melanie had Cerebal Palsy?" Spencer asked gently.

Bill nodded and continued talking. "Melanie was exhibiting some of the same symptoms-lack of coordination, stiff muscles, tremors and walking gait. She was also drooling excessively, had difficulty swallowing, sucking, and speaking. We asked Dr. Smith if Melanie could have the same affliction as her brother, but she said that particular type of MD is only found in boys. She examined Melanie and diagnosed her with Cerebral Palsy, as well as mild retardation.

We did all we could for them, but they deterroriated quickly, especially Liam. Children with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy are usually between the ages of ten and thirteen before their require a wheelchair, but he was completely wheelchair bound by the age of six. Melanie can walk short distances with a walker, but as of last year started spending most of her time in her wheelchair. Walking as little as five feet can wear her out.

Sharon and I agreed that we had more than we could handle and decided not to have anymore children, despite the fact we originally wanted five children. Shortly after Liam and Melanie's diagnosises, I agreed to have a vasectemy. I had one, but by then it was too late. Sharon was already pregnant with Aidan. I know this sounds horrible, but we and to think long and hard about whether or not we wanted to bring this child into the world."

"I don't think that sounds horrible at all, Bill. You and Sharon were given devastating news about two of your children and you were upset and frightened, which is completely understandable. There is nothing wrong with having doubts," Spencer said gently, his thoughts immediately wandering to Lila and their baby. He wondered how they would react if something was wrong with their child.

Bill shrugged and continued speaking. "Ultimately we decided to have the baby. We'd always wanted five children and we hoped this child would be developmentally normal. We thought he or she could help Chelsea and Dylan care for Liam and Melanie after we passed on. Aidan seemed normal at first, but everything changed. He didn't start walking until he was two and a half and even at three doesn't speak very much. He doesn't make eye contact or respond to his name and resists affection of any kind. We took him to Dr. Smith and she diagnosed him with Autism.

Sharon and I were both beyond devastated and completely overwhelmed. We hadn't even come to terms with Liam and Melanie's disabilities and now we had Aidan to contend with. We were both working full-time and realized one of us had to stay home with the children. Since I was making the most money and the children were already on my health insurance plan, we decided Sharon would be the one to stay home. Things were going as well as could be expected until that bitch Gloria came into our lives.

Things were okay for a while-she was polite enough and only came over to collect the rent check each month. Due to our childrens' disabilities, she even had a ramp put in and special seats on the side of the staircases inside so Melanie and Liam could have access to the whole house. Everything seemed to be going well until one day out of the blue Gloria handed us eviction papers. Sharon and I demanded an explanation, but she wouldn't give us one. She said she wanted us out by the end of the month or she would make life exceedingly difficult for us.

I told her we couldn't leave so quickly because we had our children to consider and that our family couldn't live in just any house, due to our younger childrens' disabilities. Gloria said that she wanted us out of her house and that she didn't care about 'our retarded children and that wasn't her fault that Sharon and I had such lousy DNA.' She also said that it was only a matter of time before Chelsea and Dylan were 'as fucked up as the rest of us.'

When she said those things about my kids, I just...the anger was just too much to hold in. Before I knew it, I had her pressed up against the wall and I was shaking her, screaming every obscenity imaginable. Sharon pulled me off of her and Gloria ran outside and called the police. The police arrived and arrested me for assault. I ended up spending six month in jail and lost my job and all of my benefits.

Sharon and the kids couldn't afford to live on their own, so they had to move in with her folks. I felt so helpless, so emasculated, knowing that I couldn't provide for my family and that they had to depend on her parents' social security checks just to eat. Sharon had been out of work for a long time, so it took her over four months to find a job and it's half of what she made before she quit working. I'm trying to find a job, but no one wants to hire someone with a rapsheet, and they sure as hell won't rent to someone like that either. Sharon and the kids tried to find a place when she got a job, but whenever they called Gloria for a reference, she made damn sure no one would give us a place. Sharon and I are trying to sue Gloria for wrongful eviction and I'm trying to have my record expunged, but that takes money, which is something we don't have much of at the moment."

"Where is your wife right now?" Spencer asked.

"She's at work. She works full time as a real estate at Edwards and Goodman Real Estate Services and part time as an administrative assistant for a businessman named Nathan Rogers."

"Where were the two of you last night?"

"Sharon was in a meeting and I was at the hospital with Liam. He had Pneumonia and was in the hospital for two weeks. We...we weren't sure if he was going to make it. Sharon's folks stayed home with the other children while I was with Liam. We just got home this morning."

Bill looked dowm and Spencer gave him time to compose himself. "Were you made aware that Gloria's son and his family moved into your house shortly after your eviction?"

Bill nodded. "During my assault case, my attorney was talking to the neighbors and one of them told him."

"Do you know who that was?"

"Sheila Norris. She and her family live in the house on the right. They're good people and their kids got along so well with mine. The older ones loved baby sitting and the little ones loved coming over to play."

"Did your children ever play with the Smith children?" Spencer asked.

Bill shook his head. "Sharon and I would see them occassionally in the hall or office, but none of our kids are in the same grade. Chelsea and Dylan are significantly older than the Smith children and Liam and Melanie are in special education classes."

"Aidan and Shannon are the same age," Spencer pointed out.

"Maggie told Sharon that Shannon was going to some daycare center in town. Aidan is in a special school for autistic children."

"With all due respect sir, aren't those schools...expensive?" Spencer asked, wondering how a family struggling to make ends meet could afford such a considerable expense.

Bill nodded. "I wondered how we were able to afford it as well, but Sharon told me she was able to get financial assistance to make it possible."

"What is the name of the school?"

"'Hope for the Future.' It's located in Bloomfield Hills on Long Lake Road."

Spencer asked Bill a few more questions before ending the conversation and thanking Bill for his time. The two men rose from their chairs and put them back in their proper place. As Bill walked back inside, Spencer walked to his car, saying a silent prayer for the Smith family, as well as his own. As he climbed into the car, he felt his cellphone ring. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Yes Hotch?" Spencer said.

"I need you back at the camground now. There has been another murder."

"Yes sir. I'm on my way, sir."

Spencer hung up, placed the phone back in his pocket, started the car, and began his voyage back to Frankenmuth.


	54. Chapter 54 Connecting the Dots

Chapter Fifty-Four-Connecting the Dots

"The real voyage of discovey consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."~ Marcel Proust

It was later that evening and Spencer and the rest of the BAU family was at the police station, going over the details of the case, including the latest murder. The remains of George and Jennifer Maxwell were found along the river's edge, along with those of their children Seth, age nine, Kaitlyn, age five, Hannah age two, and their dogs, Ambros, a Yorkie and Lucky, a Cocker Spaniel. Kaitlyn and Hannah succumbed to blunt force trauma to the back of their heads with an unknown object and the dogs were hung from a nearby tree by their leashes. Jennifer also fell prey to blunt force trauma, but the blows to her head differed to those found on her daughters. Seth was found several yards away in the bushes with bruises and scratchmarks all over his body.

He appeared to be beaten and received several intense kicks to the lower back, abdomen, and forehead. George was face down in the river with several stab wounds throughout his body. His throat was slashed, his head beaten against the rocks on the riverbed, and someone also cut away his genitalia. It didn't take long for law enforcement to find said genitalia, however, and that was just the cherry on top of this grisly, frightening sundae. George's genitals were found shoved into Seth's mouth and the coroner stated George's blood and tissue matter were found in the boy's stomach contents, suggesting he ingested some of it just prior to his death.

As if that wasn't bad enough, more was to come. Just past the bushes were the remains of another family. Gregory and Catherine Andrews were found in a bloody heap and it was obvious that their bodies were placed that way by the Unsub. Catherine's throat had been slashed, but the cause of death was multiple stab wounds to her chest and abdomen. Catherine's death was heart breaking in and of itself, but what made it even worse was the fact that she was seven months pregnant with a baby girl.

The remains of the unborn baby were found in the river weighed down by some rocks. The little girl was three pounds and about fifteen inches long. She had a wisp of blonde hair and blue eyes and reminded Spencer of a mini Lila. The sight of that limp, lifeless baby would haunt Spencer forever and didn't take an eideic memory to remember something like that.

Gregory was stabbed as well, but his wounds were much more extensive. The Unsub also used an object to repeatedly bash his skull and just as the previous men before him, his genitals had been removed. It didn't take long for law enforcement to find Mr. Andrews' genitals. They were found in the mouth of his fourteen year old son Kirk, who was found in the family tent with multiple stab wounds. His genitals were removed as well and were found in his father's mouth.

The body of Roslyn Andrews was in the tent as well, only her fate was less bloody then that of her brother and parents. The Unsub decided to show their gentler side by merely suffocating her with the same large teddy bear given to all children who stay at the campground. The family's French Bulldogs, Patches and Rollie, were found in the tent as well, having been bludgeoned. The BAU was looking at photographs of the deceased victims and discussing victimology. Despite the fact that they had been doing this job for many years, it was exceedingly difficult for them to look at the photos for any length of time. Hotch was solomn as always as he spoke.

"What the time of death?" he asked.

"It's still early, but the ME is putting the time of death between four and six o'clock," JJ replied. She was standing at the bulletin board, where copies of the photos were displayed.

"Mrs. Andrews had her throat slit, but cause of death was multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. The fetus..."

"Amy," Spencer interrupted.

"Excuse me?" JJ asked, surprised by the interruption.

"The unborn child's name is Amy," Spencer said coldly. "a onsie with the campground's logo was purchased at the giftshop with her name on it. "it was found in a shopping bag in the family's tent."

"_Amy _was found in the river buried under a pile of rocks," JJ continued, not missing a beat. "her cause of death was asphyxia from drowning."

"Amy and Roslyn's deaths were tame in comparison to their parents and brother's," Prentiss said, trying not to grimace as she stared at the crime scene photos. "genital mutilation is one thing, but this is the first time I have scene an unsub stuff a father and son's genitals into each other's mouths."

"Typically penis removal is done by a sexual partner for revenge purposes," Rossi replied. "Lorena Bobbitt cut off her husband's penis, enraged because he allegedly raped her. In 1936, Sada Abe strangled her lover, cut off his penis, placed it in her kimono, and carried it around with her for a few days before turning it over to the police. His penis was last scene in a department store exhibition in 1949 and this incident was the basis of the film 'In the Realm of the Senses'."

"Okay, I so did not need to know that last part," Morgan replied, shuddering slightly and giving thanks for the safety and well being of his manhood.

"What's the matter, Morgan? Are you afraid one of the members of the Derek Morgan Heram might rebel?" Prentiss teased.

"I guess I'll just need to keep you close by to protect the boys and I," Morgan joked back, giving her a wink.

Everyone in the room shared a chuckle except for Spencer, who continued study the photos intently. The pain of the victims always got to him, especially since he knew a bit about how they felt, but they were getting to him even more. When he looked at the remains of Catherine and Amy Andrews, he automatically thought of his wife and daughter. The thought of anything happening to either one of them was more than he could bear and made him sick to his stomach. Hearing his colleagues making light of the victims' plight angered him and he had to excuse himself.

He stood quickly, pushing his chair to the side as he stormed out of the room. The team exchanged glances and Hotch followed after him. Spencer's long legs effortlessly carried him across the police station and before long, he was outside. The sun was starting to set and he stood on the steps, his hands in his pockets, trying to compose himself. It took Spencer all of one milisecond to realize he wasn't alone and he didn't need to be a certified genius to know the one who followed him was his solomn faced supervisor. The two men were silent until Hotch began speaking.

"When Jack was born, an array of contradicting emotions flowed through me. I felt powerful yet helpless, overjoyed yet terrified, at peace yet uncertain and full of panic. I was never more in love in my entire life and yet the evils of the world became all the more apparent. I wanted nothing more than to lock Jack in the attic to protect him from the world and yet I knew I couldn't. I knew that even though I couldn't protect him from all the dangers in the world, I could do my part to make this world safer for him and all children."

"Does it get any easier, Hotch-seeing images of hurt and killed children?" Spencer asked, unable to imagine a time in which such images would _not _affect him.

"It will never be easy, but in time you will be able to channel those feelings of disgust and fear into a determination to bring the people who do this to justice so they can't hurt anyone else," Hotch said, his intense gaze boring into his subordinent. Spencer finally turned around and allowed his gaze to meet Hotch's.

"Spencer, I know this is hard for you and if you want to sit this one out I'll understand," Hotch said, resting his hand on Spencer's shoulder.

"Thank you, Hotch, but I'm fine now," Spencer said.

"Are you sure? No one will think less of you if you choose to go back to Quantico."

"I know, but really, I'm much better now. Besides, I noticed a pattern," Spencer said, moving past his boss and hurrying back into the conference room.

The others were conversing amongst themselves when Hotch and Spencer returned to the room. The conversation immediately came to a halt and they looked at Spencer with interest as he approached the bulletin board and picked up a black marker.

"The Jones family has no bearing on this case. They were just used as a red herring," Spencer replied.

"What about the grudge Bill and Sharon had against Gloria for kicking them out of their house and defaming them to perspective renters?" Prentiss asked.

"And is the situation as clear cut as Bill is making it seem?" Morgan asked. "take it from me, every evicted tenent thinks their landlord is Satan."

"Well, in this case it's true because Gloria had no basis for eviction," Spencer replied. "Bill and Sharon paid their rent on time every month, law enforcement was never called except for the day they were evicted, and they got along with their neighbors. Gloria kicked them out of the house so her son and his family could move in."

"Bob and his family did move in a week after the eviction," Prentiss pointed out.

"If Gloria was so against 'outsiders' living in the house, why rent it out in the first place?" JJ asked.

"Bob's younger brother, Oliver, lived in the house with his wife and daughter five years ago but moved out when he and his wife had quintuplets," Spencer replied. "after they vacated the premesis, their sister Gloria, or Gigi as she is known, and her husband took possession of the residence. After the birth of their second child, they moved into a bigger place. The house then remained vacant until it was rented to the Joneses."

"And based on the financial records Garcia dug up on the family business, they need all the money they can get," Rossi replied. "the economy has really taken its toll on the family business. They were forced to close their location in Holly and this one isn't far behind. They already have a $50,000 loss so far and the year isn't even over."

"Do Bill and Sharon's alibis check out for the times of the murder?" Morgan asked.

"Garcia checked hospital records and Liam Jones was at William Beaumont Hospital for two weeks and witnesses say Bill never left his son's side," Spencer replied. "and he was talking to me during time frame in which the other two families were murdered."

"What about Sharon?" JJ asked. "was she at the hospital as well?"

"No. The past two nights she has had meetings with her boss Nathan Rogers, a local businessman," Spencer said.

The team exchanged glances and Rossi spoke. "I suppose the second job could explain why the family is able to pay $10,000 a year for their youngest child's special school, despite the fact they are struggling to make end's meat," he said.

"Tuition for the next year was paid in full from an account in Mr. Rogers' name and a bank teller can confirm he is the one who authorized the transaction," said Spencer. His heart went out to the Jones family and he couldn't imagine the pain Bill and Sharon must feel for being unable to support their family. He didn't know what he would do if he was in that situation.

"It also looks as though Mr. Rogers is paying the hefty medical bills for Liam and Melanie as well," Prentiss said, looking at the paperwork.

"Is Mr. Jones aware of this situation?" Morgan asked Spencer.

"He mentioned his wife was in a late night meeting, but he didn't appear to know about the affair. All he could think about was his children and legal dilemmas," Spencer said.

"You said you saw a pattern with the victims?" Hotch asked Spencer.

"Yes, right," Spencer said, taking the lid off of a black marker. "I have actually noticed more than one, but we'll start at the beginning."

Spencer began writing on the board and the team watched with interest as the names of the victims began to emerge: _Maggie, Grayson, Colby, Shannon, Theresa, Dolton, Fifi, Jennifer, George, Seth, Kaitlyn, Hannah, Ambros, Lucky, Catherine, Gregory, Kirk, Roslyn, Amy, Patches, Rollie._

"Is anyone seeing what I'm seeing?" Spencer asked the team, excitement flowing through his veins as it all became so obvious.

"Some of the names begin the with the name letters," Prentiss said.

"Precisely," Spencer said, matching the names in common. "in all of the murders, the victims were linked by a name starting with the name letter. For example, Shannon and Seth both begin with an "S" and Catherine and Colby began with a "C"."

"Grayson, George, and Gregory begin with "G"," JJ added. Spencer nodded and continued writing.

"There's Amy and Ambros, Kaitlyn and Kirk," Hotch replied.

"The families also have the same make up: a mother, father, three children, and two dogs," Rossi added. "this could mirror the Unsub's own family, which could have been taken from them somehow."

"There are two girls and one boy in each family as well," Morgan added.

"How did the Unsub manage to subdue two families at once?" Rossi asked. "are we sure we are only looking for one person?"

"The Maxwell family was murdered while taking a walk along the river's edge," Spencer said. "the ME places the time of death between four and six o'clock, which is when we were gone from the site and the campground was having its usual wagon ride for the children. The horses were towards the front of the campsite and the river is in the far back, so that explains why no one heard the families's screams."

"Why weren't the Maxwells and Andrews at the Wagon ride?" Prentiss asked.

"Kaitlyn is allergic to horses and Roslyn had a cold," Hotch replied. "the clerk at the gift shop remembers selling Mrs. Andrews a bottle of over the counter cold medicine about half an hour before the murders."

"But how could one person subdue all of these people?" Rossi repeated.

"Well, we know only one Unsub was present at the murder site since there is only one set of footprints unaccounted for at all of the crime scenes," Spencer began. "besides, looking at the causes of death, it was rather simple for the Unsub to subdue the families. Kaitlyn and Hannah's cause of death was blunt force trauma to the back of their head. The Unsub could attack them without alerting the parents if the object was attached to a long handle..."

"Like a golf club," Prentiss said, thinking of the put put course located on the campground.

"Exactly," Spencer said. "the unsub could have hidden in the bushes, waiting for the opportunity to strike. Kaitlyn is allergic to horses, so the Unsub knew the family wasn't going to be at the wagon ride. The Harrisons keep track of all the activities the campers participate in, so it would have been documented that the Maxwells were going for a walk along the river."

"Well, that explains the girls, but what about the rest of the family?" JJ asked.

"The footprints indicate that Seth was walking a few feet ahead of Kaitlyn and Hannah when the attack occured, so by the time they heard their daughters cry out, it would have been too late. It wouldn't take a great deal of strength to kill two little girls. The dogs were also struck with the golf club, even though their cause of death was from hanging from the trees. George then confronts the Unsub, who then pulls out of a knife and stabs him. With George immobilized, that just leaves Jennifer and Seth. The Unsub then strikes Jennifer with another object, my guess is one of the larger tree branches or a rock. Seth had several defensive wounds on his body, so it's clear he fought back and our Unsub would have wounds on their body as well."

"I wonder if Seth was trying to protect his parents," Rossi said.

The team looked over at him, so he continued. "It would explain the extensive amount of defensive wounds on his body, as well as the genital mutilation. The Unsub might have placed the genitals into the victims' mouths because they were trying to defend each other. The Unsub didn't do that with Colby Smith, so the Unsub must have thought of Seth as a man. Mutilation of the penis has symbolic significance. Since that part of the body is a symbol of masculinity, among other things, removal is a way of emasculating the victims. The Unsub might feel emasculated in their own life, or know a man they think isn't masculine."

"The Andrews family was in a campsite not far from the river," Rossi added, "so Catherine and Gregory must have heard the family's cries for help, so they must have gone to the river to help them."

"That seems irresponsible for a heavily pregnant woman to place herself and her unborn baby in danger," JJ said.

"There's no way she and her husband could have known what was happening. For all they knew someone was drowning and needed help," Spencer said.

"The multiple stab wounds to Catherine's stomach could be a way for the Unsub of displaying his disgust at her lack of judgement," Morgan said. "and Catherine's death was the most brutal of all the mothers, so the Unsub must feel the most rage at her for this reason."

"The genital swap also occured with this family as well," Spencer pointed out. "Kirk was only fourteen, but the Unsub still thought of him as a man and was angry over him trying to protect his sister. I'm guessing Gregory was hit in the head with rocks from the river, due to their proximity to the crime scene and the easiness at which to dispose of the evidence."

"The Unsub has killed three families in a twenty-four hour time span and shows no signs of slowing down," Morgan said. "we have to narrow the list of potential victims and put surveilence on their campsites so we can catch this person."

"I already know the Unsub's next victims," Spencer replied.

"Of course you do. Would you like to share with the rest of the class?" Rossi asked.

Spencer ignored Rossi's comment and continued. "There is also a common link to these families. What did Grayson Smith do for a living?"

"He was an accountant," Prentiss said, pausing before continuing. "for a sale's company."

"George Maxwell was a successful insurance salesmen," JJ added.

"And Gregory Andrews was a pharmeceutical rep," Morgan said.

"As was Bill Jones," Prentiss said. "and some of the names of his family members tie in as well."

"And the Jones family and the Smith family both resided in Clawson," Hotch said.

"The Unsub must then be someone who has access to campground records," Spencer said, "since the campground tries to place families with common demoninators: family size, occupation, place of residency, etc, next to each other in hopes of creating a more comfortable and pleasant vacationing experience. Only someone with access to the records and the campground would know that the Maxwells and the Andrews were not at the wagon ride."

"And only that person would have known the Smith family had left the festivities on the night of the murder," Rossi concluded.

"So the person we're looking for is obviously a member of the Harrison family," Morgan replied.

"So who are the next victims?" Prentiss asked Spencer.

"They are a family that socialized with the Smiths prior to their murder and have the same family make up: mother, father, three children, and two dogs," Spencer said.

The team exchanged glances before Prentiss said it out loud. "The Churchills," she said, referring to the fmaily who found the Smith's family remains.

"But the Churchills have two boys and a girl, not one girl and two boys," JJ said.

"True, but Trever has long hair, so at first glance he could pass as a little girl," Spencer pointed out. "besides everything else fits. Franklin pairs with Fifi, Lily with Lucky, Michael with Maggie and Maxwell, and Trever with Theresa. Lily even pairs with **Ros**lyn, since they are both named after a type of flower. The dogs names are Glacier and Gigi..."

"Gigi is the nickname for Gloria Harrison's daughter," Prentiss said.

"And those are more "G" names," Hotch pointed out. "and her brothers-in-law were named Geoffrey, Gregory, and Gilbert."

"Bob's middle name is Grayson," Rossi said.

"And Kirk's name in English and Scandinavian means _church_," Spencer added.

"Which also ties in with the Churchills," Prentiss added.

"Spencer, excellent work," Hotch said, rising to his feet. The other team members followed suit and they hurried out of the conference room.

"Rossi and Reid, you're with me. JJ, I want you to continue handling the media coverage, and I want the rest of you at the Churchills' campsite. If Reid is correct I'm afraid we don't have much time."

Everyone went their separate ways and Spencer followed Rossi and Hotch towards Hotch's black SUV. As Spencer climbed into the backseat, he prayed that he was correct and that he had made the discovery in time.


	55. Chapter 55 Revelations & Reality

Chapter Fifty-Five-Revelations & Reality

"An idea, to be suggestive, must come to the individual with the force of revelation."~ William James

It was a short time later and Hotch was pulling into the Harrison's driveway. He parked the SUV and the three men climbed out of the vehicle, looking dapper as always in bullet proof vests. Hotch walked up the door and the two other men followed close behind. Hotch knocked and it wasn't long until Bob answered, wearing a navy blue terry cloth bathrobe over blue and white striped pajamas. He stared at the FBI agents with a look of obvious shock on his face.

"Agents! What are you doing here?" Bob asked, moving aside so the three men could enter his home.

"Mr. Harrison, is your wife home?" Hotch asked, his intense gaze burning a hole into Bob's face.

"Yes, no, I don't know," Bob said, looking flustered as Spencer and Rossi withdrew their guns and began a search of the house.

"Is that really necessary?" Bob asked. "I have a young child for goodness sake!"

"Yes Mr. Harrison, I am aware of that, but the well being of three other children is at stake," Hotch replied.

"I...I don't understand," Bob replied, with a look of such ignorance and confusion that feelings of sympathy and annoyance flowed through Hotch's veins.

"The house is clear," Spencer replied, emerging from the basement, his search of the house complete.

"Mrs. Harrison is no where to be found," Rossi added as he walked down the stairs and stood to Hotch's right.

"Mr. Harrison, I am only going to ask one more time, where is your wife?" Hotch demanded.

"I don't know where she is exactly," Bob said. "all I know is for the last few nights she has been going for walks in the evenings after I get home from work. She said she needed time alone to decompress."

"Do you know where she goes on these walks?" Rossi asked.

"No. She either goes when I'm at work or later in the evening. It's not something we really discuss and quite frankly, I don't see why my wife's habits are of interest to you."

"Your wife's 'habit' is of interest because that habit entails murdering innocent families out of jealousy and anger over losing her own," Spencer replied. He knew his words came out a tad harsh, but quite frankly he didn't care. The sight of those dead, tortured babies and Bob's stupidity were really pissing him off.

"You think...you think my wife is the killer? My Maggie wouldn't hurt a fly...what's wrong with you people?" Bob demanded.

"Your wife is annilating families because her own family was distrupted by your move last year. Be honest Mr. Harrison, how did Maggie really feel about leaving her friends, family, and job behind for you to come back to help run the family business?" Spencer asked.

Bob was silent for a few minutes before he began speaking. "Okay I admit, Mags wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of moving, but I had lost my job and offers weren't exactly pouring in. No one wants to hire a middle-aged college drop out anymore, so when Mom asked me to come home to help run the family business, I thought it was a great idea. Maggie is wondeful at sales, and I knew she would find another job in no time."

"A job she lost not to long after moving here," Spencer said. "your wife left a job she had and loved for fifteen years only to lose her next one in a matter of months. On top of that she unexpectedly became pregnant and was forced to leave her two other children behind because they didn't want to move."

"How did your wife feel about leaving Sam and Kaydence behind?" Rossi asked.

"She was understandably devastated, but the kids are seniors in high school and want to graduate with their friends and significant others. Mags understood that and that doesn't make her a killer."

"Mr. Harrison, when was the last time your wife was at the campsite, that you know of?" Spencer asked.

"A few months ago. Maggie isn't exactly a nature girl, so she felt little afinity for the place," Bob said.

"Well if that's true, how did Maggie know about the cobblestone walk way along the river bank, which is where the bodies of the last two victims where found?" Spencer demanded. "Maggie said, and I quote 'I'm simply too busy to make frequent trips and besides, I'm not really a nature girl. I can't really see myself skipping along the cobblestone walkway along the river's edge'. Mr. Harrison, Agent Hotchner spoke to your mother and she stated that the walkway was put in last week. How would your wife know about it if she hasn't been to the campsite in months?" Spencer asked, almost daring the man to lie.

"I...I don't know," Bob said, looking wide eyed at the men, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation when there wasn't one to be had.

"Many of the victims had names beginning with 'G' or 'M' and those letters are in yours and Maggie's name. The mother in the first family was named Maggie and the father had your middle name for Heaven's sake!" Spencer continued. 'your wife is killing these families because she feels hers was taken away and she's doing it at the campground because she holds your family business-especially your mother-responsible for the loss. Your mother made you get rid of the family dogs didn't she?" Spencer asked.

"Mother didn't want Holton and Aaden tearing up her house and felt that having two large dogs here was inappropriate," Bob said.

"Holton and Aaden were a German Shephard and Rotweiler weren't they?" Rossi asked.

Bob nodded and Spencer continued. "Maggie removed the genitals from the men and badly mutilated them because she feels angered and abandoned by your actions and feels you aren't man enough to be there for her. She did the same thing to the older boys in the last two families because they were trying to defend their families and is angry you didn't do the same for her. You have taken your mother's side over your wife's from the moment you were married. Your wife didn't want to move, but your mother needed you, so you came running, always needing to put mommy first," Spencer said, his tone thick with sarcasm and disgust.

"My father had just past away and mother needed me," Bob said, feeling defensive.

Spencer was just about to respond when everyone heard a squeeking sound coming from the stairs. Everyone turned around to see little Abby Harrison, standing on the staircase and rubbing her eyes. She was wearing a pale pink night gown and holding a teddy bear in her hand.

"Abby, go back to bed," Bob said.

"Where's Mommy?" Abby asked, walking down the stairs and approaching the group of men. Suddenly, Abby's eyes widened with excitement. "is she still playing the game? Ohh, I can't wait to get my present!"

"Abby, what is this game your talking about?" Spencer asked, lowering himself so he was at her level.

"You're the FBI agent that Mommy says knows everything!" Abby said, looking glad to see him.

The men smiled slightly and Spencer continued. "What I would really like to know about is this game. You tried to tell me about it when I came to visit you and Mommy, but Mommy wouldn't let you finish. Did she tell you to keep it a secret?"

"Yes, but you're sort of like a cop and Mommy says not to lie or keep secrets from cops. I'll tell you about the game if I can see your badge again," Abby said.

Spencer reached into his back pocket and handed the child his wallet. As she studied the badge, she continued speaking. "To play the game, mommy tells me she is going to a secret, secret place to get me a present, but I have to stay in my room until she gets back and I'm not allowed to leave my room or look out the window. Then when she gets back I get my present."

"How many times have you played the game?" Spencer asked.

Abby thought for a minute as she counted out loud. "One...two...three. Three times!" Abby said, holding up three fingers.

"And when did you play the games?" Spencer asked.

"The first time was last night. I got up to go potty when I saw Mommy leaving the house. She said she was going for a walk and if I went to sleep and didn't tell daddy she left I would get a present. The second time was when I was when I was watching Sponge Bob on TV."

"The ME put time of death between four and six o'clock, so that means your wife left home around two o'clock so she could make her way to the lake undetected and lie in wait for the Maxwell family," Spencer said.

"I saw Mommy walking away from the house. I wasn't supposed to look out the window, but I did anyway," Abby said, her eyes glimmering with mischief, blissfully unaware of the fact that her beloved Mommy was a serial killer.

"Do you remember which way your mommy was walking?" Spencer asked.

"Hmmm...that way!" Abby said, pointing west, which was the same direction in which the campsite was located.

"What kind of gifts did Mommy bring you?" Bob asked, his face turning grey.

"She gave me a pretty pink jump rope and a big ol' teddy bear!" Abby exclaimed, holding her arms out as wide as she could get them.

"Abby, would you like to show us your presents?" Spencer asked.

Abby nodded and led the men upstairs to her bedroom, which was every little girl's paradise with its bubblegum pink walls with pony wallpaper border and unicorn bedding and curtains. Abby handed Spencer's wallet back to him and opened her toy chest, lifting out the pink jump rope he saw earlier that day.

"That's...that's one of the jump ropes from the gift shop! We just got that shipment two days ago!" Bob exclaimed, feeling sick to his stomach.

"And there is my teddy bear!" Abby said, pointing to a teddy bear identical to the one shown in the Smith family crime scene pictures. Spencer walked over to the bear and picked it, the distinct scent of Downy fabric softening traveling up to his nostrils. Although fibers found on Mrs. Smith and the children were consistent with those of the teddy bears given to the children by the Harrison family, there was no evidence or blood or bodily fluids or skin tissue on the bear found in the tent and Spencer now knew why.

"Abby, did your Mommy wash this teddy bear before letting you play with it?" Spencer asked.

Abby nodded. "She said it got a little dirty in the special place and she had to wash it first."

It was at that moment that Hotch's cellphone rang. He promptly answered and it was quickly made apparent that he was talking to Morgan. After speaking for a few minutes, Hotch hung up and looked at the other men.

"Mrs Harrison was apprehended and she is on her way to the police station. Morgan and Prentiss caught her just as she was sneaking into Mr. and Mrs. Churchill's tent. She was carrying a large butcher knife in her hands with the campground insignia on the handle," he added, looking pointedly at Mr. Harrison.

Bob sunk onto Abby's bed and gathered the little girl close, hugging her as close to his body as possible. As the reality of the situation finally outweighed Bob's desperate denial, Hotch looked over at Spencer.

"Morgan said Mrs. Harrison would like to speak to you," he said. "she indicated she would feel more comfortable confessing to you."

Spencer nodded and walked out of the bedroom, curious about what Mrs. Harrison had to say. As he left the room, he looked over his shoulder at Mr. Harrison, the image of the broken, defeated man clutching his oblivious little girl making his stomach tighten. He shook his head and walked down the stairs, knowing the dispair in Mr. Harrison's eyes would haunt him for a very long time.


	56. Chapter 56 Confessions and Resolution

Chapter Fifty-Six-Confessions and Resolution

"When the game is ove, the king and the pawn go into the same box."~ Italian Proverbs

It was a short time later when Spencer arrived at the Frankenmuth Police Station. Detective Ezra Fletcher, who was the lead detective on the case, escorted Spencer to the interrogation room, where Maggie Harrison was being held. She was sitting at a long, white table, gently fingering the rim of a plastic drinking cup. Her head was downcast and she was quiet, resigned to her fate. When Spencer entered the room, she lifted her head, her neutral expression transforming into a rueful smile as Spencer sat in the chair across from her.

"I guess you really do know everything," Maggie said softly, continuing to finger the cup.

She had pushed her sleeves up to her elbows and Spencer could see the cuts and bruises on her fair skin, evidence of the earlier attacks. Based on her injuries and demeanor, she came across as more like another victim than the Unsub. Determined to keep his emotions at bay, Spencer spoke.

"Mrs. Harrison, why did you want to speak to me?" he asked.

"I guess I thought you were the only one who would listen. I can't talk to my husband about this-I just can't. I could never talk to him about anything. All he cares about is his mother and that stupid family business. We were so happy with our old life in Boston and he threw it all away because Mommy told him to. That 'business'-and I use that term loosely-is a joke. It isn't the goldmine the Harrisons profess it to be and in recent years they have been losing money. I mean, who the Hell wants to go camping during a recession?"

"I did notice the decrease in profit margins over the years," Spencer commented.

Maggie nodded and took a sip of water, setting the cup down before speaking again. "Goldi Locks & the Three Bears has lost $50,000 in the last two years. I told Bob working for the family business was a lost cause and that he was better off finding another sales job or going back to school, but he just wouldn't listen. All he cares about is his damn mother."

"Is that why you wanted to move back to Boston after you were married-to lessen her influence on Bob's life?"

Maggie nodded and continued speaking. "He still spoke to her at least four times a day, but since she couldn't bully him in person, it was easier for me to pursuade him differently-Bob has always been spineless. That bitchy, pain in the ass shrew has gone out of her way to make my life a living Hell. She is always trying to undermine me in front of the children and had the nerve to suggest that Abby and my unborn baby aren't Bob's. In fact, she told Abby that her real father was my former boss and that I'm such a whore I don't know who fathered this child.

I threw a fit, but as always Bob took Gloria's side. I love him and he claims to love me, but Gloria is too powerful a force in his life. She has always been his number one priority. She said I got pregnant with the twins on purpose so I could force Bob into marrying me and take him away from her. If that really was my plan, I failed miserably. I feel like Gloria is his wife and at best I am his second class, sloppy mistress."

"So you thought that committing these murders would destroy her and the family business and that you would finally have your family back?" Spencer replied.

Maggie nodded. "I didn't want to leave our life behind, but Bob said he felt honor bound to help his mother. He said that if things didn't work out and the business closed, we could move back to Boston. I...I just wanted my life back. I lost everything when I moved here: my house, job, my two older children..."

Tears filled Maggie's eyes and Spencer handed her a tissue. She dabbed her eyes as she continued speaking. "Because of that bitch, I missed the last yea of my twins' childhood. They are turning eighteen soon and I have missed so much-homecoming, prom, selecting colleges...Sammy and Kaydence didn't want to finish senior year in a new school and I didn't blame them. They are wonderful kids and have worked so hard and they deserve to be happy.

Sammy has always had a love for aviation, so he joined the Air Force after graduation. He's going to Afganistan in a few weeks and I haven't seen him since graduation. Kaydence...Kaydence is marrying her high school sweetheart next month and I wasn't there to help her plan the wedding! My daughter is getting married and my son could die in the Middle East and I missed the last year of their childhood because of the spite my bitch of a mother in law feels towards me.

Abby...dear sweet Abby. She is a sweet, lovable little angel, but the Harrisons treat her differently because they have chosen to fall in line with Gloria's insanity. I know you're probably thinking I should have stayed in Boston and you're right, I should have, but..."

"You love your husband and you didn't want to deprive your daughter of spending quality time with her father," Spencer finished.

Maggie nodded. "Choosing the victims really wasn't that difficult. I knew I wanted the victims to...match somehow and my best bet for finding similiarities between the two families was looking at the guest log for the campground. The few times Bob _was _home he would bring work along with him, so it wasn't hard to access the log in sheet. In fact, they use the same three passwords for everything, so infiltrating their records really wasn't difficult.

When I lost my job, Bob even asked me to do inventory of all of the merchandise in the giftshop. When a customer makes a purchase, their name is logged into the system, along with their purchase so that any applicable coupons or deals can be applied, so that's how I knew about the Andrews' baby girl. I was going to kill them anyway, but when Greg and Cathy stubbled upon me, well, they just made life a little easier."

"You were killing families like your own to avenge the loss of your own," Spencer said.

"Not only did I lose my older children and everything else, but I had to give up my two dogs as well! Mommy-dearest-in-law wouldn't allow dogs into "her" home and Bob didn't have the balls to stand up to her or find a different home for us, so we had to leave them behind. Holton and Aaden were like children to me, so leaving them behind was devastating. I left them with my sister, but they were too much for her to handle and no one else in the family could take them so she had to give them away.

"I'm sure you find it...inappropriate of me to have given "trophies" to my daughter, but I suppose a part of me took great satisfaction in that. No one knew I was responsible for these murders, so seeing those things in the house everyday did give me some satisfaction. I don't know if I would have taken them with us once we were able to return to Boston, but I enjoyed having them for the time being."

"Mrs. Harrison, why did you want to talk to me?" Spencer asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess you just seem so...so...dependable," Maggie said, taking another sip of water. "you were so sweet and self assured when you spoke to Abby and I this afternoon and I just felt that you would empathize with me, even if you can't sympathize with my actions or position. It's been so long since I've had someone to talk to and it just felt nice to find someone again, even if that someone has the ability to put me in jail for the rest of my life."

Spencer and Maggie shared a slight smile and they talked for a little longer until Maggie signaled that she was done. Officer Fletcher came into the room and led her out the door. Spencer followed them out and Maggie smiled at him again.

"Take care of yourself Agent, and your family," she said.

Before Spencer could respond, Maggie lunged at him and grabbed the gun out of his holder. She aimed it at another office and shot her in the leg before turning the gun on Officer Fletcher. She moved her finger as if about to pull the trigger, but he was quicker, shooting her in the heart. Maggie dropped the gun and her body fell hard to the floor, blood hemorrhaging violently out of her body. Spencer stood frozen, aghast at what he had seen and too stunned to move. As he stood there, Fox 2 news interrupted the station's regularly scheduled program.

"Breaking news in about the recent slew of killings at Goldi Locks and the Three Bears Campground resort. Just recently an explosion took place on 321 Feather Lane, a house that had been in the Harrison family for many years. It is in the name of George and Gloria Harrison, but reports reveal that her son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter were residing in the home. There is no word yet about whether or not this bombing is connected with the murders or who exactly was inside the home. We will update you as this story progresses. Alright Ben, back to you."

The co-anchor prattled on, but Spencer didn't hear a word he was saying. As his horrified expression shifted from the television to Maggie's bloody remains, Office Fletcher looked at him.

"Why...why would she do this? I thought destroying the campground was enough, why did she have to kill herself and her family too?" he asked.

"She provoked you into shooting her so she wouldn't have to deliver her son in prison and have him grow up without a mother under his paternal family member's negative influence. She killed Abby because she knew the child would also be subjected to the Harrison's cold treatment and didn't want her to suffer through that or grow up away from her father. In her own words, Abby was a daddy's girl. With them gone, her two older children wouldn't have to suffer through the trial either. They are embarking on their own lives and now they aren't tied down to the past. Mrs. Harrison thought she was shielding them all from the pain and embarassment a trial and the media coverage would bring.

"How did she activate the bomb in the first place?" another office demanded.

"She must have known that she was going to get caught soon or later and wanted to be prepared. She hid it somewhere in the house, most likely the basement, and the bomb was most likely set to explode at a certain time."

"How on earth did she find the time to do that?" Office Fletcher demanded.

"Did she make a phonecall when she arrived at the station?" Spencer asked.

Officer Fletcher nodded and Spencer continued speaking. "She used the payphone to dial in the code to the bomb. She set it so it would go off at the right time, after she had confessed and answered all questions about her crimes. She wanted to tie up all loose ends before what was to come."

Spencer looked at Officer Fletcher and the other officer as he continued to speak, the shock starting to set in.

"For the last twenty years Mrs. Harrison has been fighting her mother-in-law for control over her husband and family..."

His gaze traveled back to the decease Mrs. Harrison, who was now concealed by a cluster of officers. "and now she finally has it," he answered sadly, shaking his head.


	57. Chapter 57 Starting Over

Chapter Fifty-Seven-Starting Again

"Powerful dreams inspire powerful action."~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Spencer couldn't see them, but he could hear their screams. He turned around, trying to decifer the direction in which the noise was coming, but he just couldn't. Their cries were nearly drowned out by the roar of the flames, which were hot on his back and making his clothes stick to his skin. Smoke surrounded him at every angle and he felt as if he were in a maze as opposed to a house. Spencer coughed, covering his mouth to keep from inhaling the thick, dense smoke.

Instead of dropping to his hands and knees to find his way out of the smoke, he continued walking, his coughing growing more and more intense and his vision more and more ascewed. As he continued walking through the flazing, smoke-filled maze, the cries became louder and louder and he could tell they were close by. He blindly stepped through the thick cloud of smoke and found whom he was looking for.

Abby and Dexter Harrison were huddled in a corner, trembling with fear, their little eyes widened in terror. They were coughing intensely and Abby was covering her baby brother's face with her hands, trying to shield him from the smoke and flames. Abby looked up, fear etched onto her little face.

"Spencer! Spencer help me!" Abby screamed, beseetching him with her eyes.

"I'm coming! Hold on, Abby!" Spencer exclaimed, each word punctuated with a cough.

He ran towards the children, his coughing growing more and more intense, his eyes burning from the heat of the flames and the thickness of the smoke. Despite the fact that a bomb had just gone off, the entire house still remained in tact, totally un affected by the explosion, save for the smoke and flames. As Spencer approached the children, something strange happened. The more he walked towards them, the further away they became. He picked up speed, running towards them, but his efforts were having the opposite affect. The children continued screaming and Abby stood up, her brother in her arms. As she began running towards him, Spencer called out to her.

"Abby, no, stay where you are! It's dangerous!" he cried out.

"Spencer! Spencer!" Abby screamed, running towards him as if she didn't hear him.

Suddenly Spencer froze in place, unable to take more step farther, no matter how hard he tried. After struggling for a minute, he bent down and wrapped his hands around his leg, as if trying to manually force it to move. It was a futile effort and Spencer looked up to check on the children. To his horror, Maggie was now in the room, gun in hand. As she aimed it at the children, Spencer held up his other hand, calling out to her.

"Maggie! Maggie no!"

Maggie said nothing to his cries, her intense focus completely centered on the two frightened children. Spencer's stomach lurched and all he could do was stand back helplessly as Maggie aimed the firearm at the two children. Abby was still running, Dexter in her arms, but now her movements were having the opposite affect. Although her feet were moving forward, the movement was propelling her backward, closer and closer to her mother. Maggie's finger pushed on the trigger and a loud, piercing boom filled the room. The noise became louder and louder and an unbearable orange/red light filled the room.

"Maggie no! Maggie stop-the children!" Spencer screamed, his eyes finally opening.

It took him a few minutes to realize that what had just transpired was a dream, a nightmare to be more precise. Actually no, scratch that, that wasn't a nightmare-it was an emotionally scarring, helpless feeling, terrifying, heart stopping nocturnal disaster. He sat up in bed, his head in his hands, taking breaths in deep, desperate gulps. After a while, he sat up, wiping the sweat and tears from his face and looked at the alarm clock. It was just shy of five thirty and Spencer felt completely drained.

He didn't have much time to sit and collect his thoughts, however, because it wasn't long until there was a knock at the door. Spencer climbed out of bed and shuffled towards the door, looking disheveledly sexy in plaid pyjama pants and an oversized grey t-shirt. He looked out the peephole and upon recognizing his visitor, opened the door. His visitor in question was JJ, who looked beautiful and put together, despite the early hour.

"Hey Spence, sorry for disturbing you so early," JJ replied, casting him a contrite glance.

"It's alright, I was up," Spencer mumbled, rubbing his eyes as images of his dreams came flooding through his mind. His mind and his heart ached over the loss of the Harrison children, of all the children lost in that case. Spencer was lost in his own little world and forgot JJ was there until she rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Spencer-are you alright? You're not making sense-and who is Dexter?"

"Hmm?" Spencer said, looking into the concerned eyes of his colleague and friend. "it's...it's nothing. I'm alright."

"Who is Dexter? I don't remember hearing that name when we discussed the victims and their families."

"Dexter is the name Maggie chose for her unborn son," Spencer replied, rubbing his eyes again and shaking his head, trying to separate himself from dreamworld and re-enter reality.

JJ continued looking at him with concern, so Spencer quickly changed the subject, wanting to set her at ease so she wouldn't air her concerns to the team, especially Hotch and Rossi. The last thing he wanted was for them to think he was no longer able to do his job. Spencer had always loved his job, but it was even more important to him now that he was married and had a baby on the way. He wanted to prove to everyone, including himself, that he didn't need to depend on Lila's income to support the family and that he could do it himself.

"What's up, JJ?" he asked.

"We have another case, Spencer. Sheriff Johnson from the Bloomfield Hills police department called an hour ago about a case involving the murders of two high school girls. Both girls were found dead in their bedrooms and the police department has exhausted what little leads they have. Hotch wants everyone in his room as soon as possible."

"Alright, JJ. I'll be there in just a few minutes."

JJ nodded and turned around to walk away. Before leaving, she turned back to give Spencer a comforting squeeze on the arm before heading off to Hotch's hotel room. Spencer closed the room behind her, finding little comfort in JJ's embrace. He walked towards the bathroom, hoping a hot shower would clear his head and ease his nerves. As he turned on the water, he hoped he had the strength to withstand the new horrors about to come his way.


	58. Chapter 58New Case, Old Ghosts

Chapter Fifty-Eight-New Case, Old Ghosts

"Guilt is perhaps the most painful companion of death."~ Coco Chanel

It was close to nine o'clock when the team arrived at the Bloomfield Hills police station. The team had met in Hotch's room as directed and ordered room service as they went over the case. Seeing the image of the deceased young women, however, made any thought of an appetite as dead to Spencer as the girls. The victims in question were Christina Austin and Jessica Williams, who were mere weeks away from beginning their senior year in high school. Christina and Jessica were both on the cheerleading squad and by all accounts were among the most popular kids at their school.

Christina was a tall, slender, statuesque beauty with classic blonde hair, blue eyed good looks. Well liked by friends, she was hard working and a self described neat freak. The only daughter of Susan and Peter Austin, she enjoyed an active social life and wanted for nothing. She was found dead in her bedroom about a week ago, having been stabbed with the heel of one of her ridiculously high stillettos. Her bedroom door and window had been locked and the unsub had wiped away all finger prints.

Jessica had a look similar to Christina's, except her facial features were a tad pointier and her eyes were brown instead of blue. Like Christina, she was also an only child to Stephen and Grace Williams, and the two girls had been neighbors their entire lives. Jessica loved animals and spent considerable time at her family's stable, since she was an accomplished equestrian. She too had been found in her bedroom, killed by multiple stab wounds with a knitting needle. Despite the fact that she had been found neatly tucked in her bed, evidence suggested that there had been a struggle and whoever killed Jessica cleaned the room and placed her in her bed afterwards.

The team walked into the police station and was immediately met by Sheriff Matthew Johnson. They exchanged pleasantries and he led them into a room, where crime scene photos were displayed on the walls and the evidence was displayed on the table, sealed in a protective bag of course. Everyone sat down and Hotch began the line of questioning.

"When was Christina's body first discovered?" he asked the sheriff.

"July 12th. She was found around seven o'clock in the morning by the family's housekeeper, Mrs. Edwards, who entered the room to wake her for her nine o'clock tennis lesson."

"Where were her parents?" JJ asked.

"They were out of town on business. Mr. Austin owns a successful investment firm and went to Dallas for a convention, as well to meet with potential clients. His wife liked to accompany him whenever possible so she went along on the trip. They were scheduled to come home the day Christina was killed."

"Where was Mrs. Edwards at the time of the murder?" Morgan asked.

"She is a live-in housekeeper, but that evening she went to play Bingo with friends and stayed the night at one of their homes."

"Who was the friend?" Prentiss asked.

Sheriff Johnson consulted his notes before speaking. "Gertrude Thomas. She states that after bingo they went to a diner for dinner and went back to her house around ten. They had tea and talked until around twelve, which is when they went to bed. Gertrude slept in her room and Mrs. Edwards in the guestroom."

"How is Gertrude so certain that Mrs. Edwards remained in the house for the rest of the evening, if she went to sleep?" Rossi asked.

"Gertrude says she was awakened at around two by her cat scratching on her bedroom door. She opened the door to let the cat inside and heard Mrs. Edwards on the kitchen phone."

"Who was the last person to see Christina alive?" JJ asked.

"Jessica Williams, as well as their mutual friends Lindsey Wilson and Michelle Newton. They spent the day together at the mall and also went to a movie. Lindsey and Michelle stated they dropped Christina off at her house just after ten."

"Did Jessica and Christina have any known enemies? Were any threats made to them in the days leading up to the murders?" Morgan asked.

"Not that we were able to determine. The girls were well-liked and popular with man friends. Everyone appears to be devastated by their deaths."

"Sheriff, would you please give us the contact information for Lindsey and Michelle? We would like to speak with them as quickly as possible," Hotch said. Although his statement was phrased as a question, his tone suggested there was no real option involved.

"Absolutely. I will get that for you at once, but I should let you know the girls' families are extremely...protective and havd a dream team of attorneys on speed dial, so information may be hard to come by."

"Don't worry. We profilers have our ways," Rossi said, his mouth twitching into a slight smile.

Sherriff Johnson gave them the contact information and led them into a room where all the evidence was laid out. A bulletin board was covered with crime scene photos and a chalk board contained vital facts the officers had uncovered thus far. There were also boxes of evidence stacked on the table. As the team filed inside and Hotch began giving orders, Spencer remained standing near the door. He leaned against the wall, the images of the dead girls blazed in his mind.

He was still tormented by Abby and the other victims of the previous case and there was no relief in sight. He was wracked with guilt over the face he hadn't seen the signs sooner, that he hadn't known Maggie was the unsub until the end, when it was too late. If he had realized who and what she was, he could have gotten her help, could have saved her daughter, husband, and unborn son from a painful shocking death. He could have spared the two older children and the rest of the family the pain and grief Maggie's actions had caused. Irreversable damage had been done to the family and Spencer suspected whatever fond feelings existed between both sides of the families was long gone. He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath, trying to prevent his body from shaking. JJ looked over at him with a concern look on her face.

"Spencer, are you alright?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, sorry," Spencer murmured, shuffling towards the table.

"Spencer, Morgan, I want the two of you to speak to the victims' friends and find out as much as yuou can about them-hobbies, boyfriends, anything you can uncover. Prentiss, Rossi, I want you to speak with the victims' families and neighbors and learn more about their family life, as well as the layout of the victims' homes and neighborhood. JJ is in charge of the media and I will remain here going over the case files."

Everyone nodded and split up to take on their respective tasks. Spencer, Morgan, Rossi, and Prentiss exited the police station together and the latter three were conversing amongst themselves. Spencer gave the occassional nod, but his thoughts were not with whatever their conversation entailed. All he could think about was how he was going to make it through the next few days and hope he could do so with some of his mental well being intact. More than anything, he wished he was home with Lila and Lucky, tucked safely away in their home where nothing or no one could hurt them.

Spencer quietly slid into the passenger seat of the black SUV and Morgan took his place in the driver's seat. They fastened their seatbelts and Spencer sat back in his seat, trying to will the horrific images to disappear. Morgan looked over at him, the concern apparent in his warm brown eyes.

"Hey man, talk to me. Are you alright?" Morgan asked.

"Of course, never better," Spencer replied, his tone flat, his face expressionless.

Morgan opened his mouth to make a comment, but decided against it. Instead, he started the car and the two remained silent for the remainder of the drive.


	59. Chapter 59 Mrs Reid

Chapter Fifty-Nine-Mrs. Reid

"The career of motherhood and homemaking is beyond value and needs no justification. Its importance is incalculable." ~Katherine Short

While Spencer was struggling to maintain his sanity, Lila was enjoying domestic bliss. Lucky was fast asleep, so she was taking the opportunity to get some housework done. She had been so busy tending to the newest member of the Reid family that she had neglected to fold and iron the laundry. She was in the upstairs laundry room, looking breezy and domesticated in a floor length, white cotton summer dress. The halter style neckline highlighted her ever growing bosom and the floral print added a festive feel to the dress. Her hair was thrown back into a ponytail and her naturally pretty face was devoid of make up.

Learning the art of homemaking wasn't easy for someone who until recently hadn't needed such skills before, but Lila was catching on quickly and had developed her own way of doing things. In the laundry room for example, she had divided the laundry into different catagories and each one had its own hamper. Her whites, Spencer's whites, their colors, towels, etc not only had their own hamper but she had color coordinated them as well. Lila's baskets, hampers, and hangers were pink, Spencer's were blue and everything was carefully labeled. She had already purchased a hamper, basket, and hangers for Little Spencer, although his official debute was several months away. His items were a soft baby blue, which coordinated with the darker blue that was affiliated with his father.

Lila decided to start ironing first and was working on a pile of Spencer's button down shirts. She was lost in her own little world, so the sound of her cellphone startled her. She set down the iron and picked up the phone. As soon as she identified the caller, a smile crept upon her face. She pressed talk and held the phone up to her ear.

"Greetings my number one journalist," Lila said, sitting down in a nearby chair.

"Hello yourself, oh great domestic goddess. How are you? I feel as if we haven't seen in each in ages."

"It has been awhile," Lila agreed, missing her cousin. "how's work? How's Aaron?"

"Work is going well. I'm covering the bombings in San Diego," she said, referring to the string of bank bombings that had been happening that week. The total count was four and there was no end or suspect in sight.

"Have you or the police found any suspects yet?" Lila asked.

"Not yet. It's crazy Lila: four bombings in a month span and the police know as much now as they did day one. I have interviewed employees of the banks and no one seems to know anything. The police suspect it's an inside job, but none of the banks are affiliated with each other and I haven't found a connection between them or the employees."

"If anyone can solve this case, Em, it's you. And if all else fails, I'm sure a certain unit chief would be more than happy to offer his assistance..."

"State FBI has been called in and they are confident they can resolve the issue without involving Quantico," Emma replied, the master of evasion. "besides, Aaron has his hands full as it is with this new case of his."

"When did you last speak to Aaron?' Lila asked, missing her husband dearly. He hadn't called since arriving in Michigan and she was starting to worry.

"This morning. He called when he woke up this morning to ask about the case, but we didn't get to talk long since another case came in. A crimefighter's job is never done," she said, amusement apparent in her tone. Despite the gritty nature of her job, she really loved it. Investigative journalism suited her analytical, inquistive nature perfectly and she loved making a difference.

"I think it's so sweet, if not a little unsettling, that there is someone else in the world as work obsessed, serious minded, and sleep deprived as my favorite cousin."

"What about Stella?"

"Alright fine, you're my favorite *blonde* cousin."

"Umm, Stella is blonde too."

"Do you want to be my favorite cousin or not?"

"Sorry, Lila-Bear. Your favorite cousin is waving a white flag as we speak."

"Much better," Lila said, trying to hold back her amusement but failing miserably.

"We need to get together again soon, Lila. It's been so nice being in regular contact with you and I don't want to lose that again."

"Neither do I. I know you and Stella are incredibly busy, but please know that the two of you are welcome here anytime. The guest rooms Ashley designed are fabulous."

"Speaking of our token psycho, how is she? Believe it or not she hasn't broken into my apartment in weeks."

"Are you saying in a one month time span Ashley has been unable to bribe, coerse, or seduce her way into getting a new key? Please don't tell me years of drug and alcohol abuse have hindered her ability to conjure up illegal, yet amusing, schemes."

"I'm certain Ashley has tried all of the above in her usual intoxicated fashion, but her efforts have left my new locksmith unmoved. I cannot thank Aaron enough for finding him for me."

"This man must be something if he can resist Ashley's...charms. However does he manage?"

"It's really quite simple. Aaron told him in very graphic details what can happen to someone who falls out of favor with the FBI. Oh, and he's gay."

"Your locksmith is gay?" Lila asked, giggling at the image of her frustrated sister no longer being able to engage in the breaking and entering she loved so much. Ashley hadn't dared to break into Stella's apartment since the arrival of Meghan. Ashley was fearless in many ways but the area of large dogs was not one of them.

"Isn't that fabulous? I have to tell you Lila that it is _so _refeshing to come home and _not_ have the scent of marijuana and bad take out lingering in the air."

"I imagine it is," Lila said laughing. Ashley hadn't been able to break into her home in years, so she hadn't had to deal with that in years.

Lila and Emma continued chatting for a while until Emma had to get back to work. They exchanged goodbyes and Lila resumed laundry duty. She worked a steady, quiet pace, stopping ever so often to check on Lucky. Eventually, her mountain of laundry disappeared and her household chores were complete. Lila stood up and stretched her legs, eager for something to do.

She looked over her shoulder and noticed Spencer Jr's laundry holders and suddenly knew what she wanted to do. Her son wasn't due to arrive in months, but that didn't mean Lila couldn't ensure he had everything he needed for when he was born. She walked into her bedroom and shed her dress, wanting to wear fresh clothes on her outing. Besides, the last thing she wanted was for the paparazzi to snap a photograph of her ever expanding bustline. She wasn't even finished with her first trimester and she already felt as though she could put any girl at _Vivid _to shame.

She threw on a sleeveless, white eyelet, knee length dress. She took out her ponytail and quickly ran a comb through her hair. She kept the hair tie around her wrist, in case she decided to throw it back up later. After tending to Lucky, she slipped on some sandals and picked up her purse. She left the house and as she walked to her car, she noticed some of her neighbors outside.

She waved to them, but they did not respond. Lila tried not to let it hurt her feelings, since Spencer told her Quantico employees, and even their family members, could be standoffish until they got to know you. With thoughts of onesies and baby booties dancing in her mind, she climbed into her car and drove down the road.


	60. Chapter 60 Friends R Us

Chapter Sixty-Friends R Us

"It is by chance that we met, by choice that we became friends."~Unknown

It was sometime later and Lila was leisurely browing the clothing section of Babies R Us. Although her doctor wouldn't be able to officially determine baby Reid's gender, Lila didn't need a test to confirm what she already knew in her heart. She took an item off the rack and examined it closely. It was a brown and cream stripped valour footie with brown sleeves and frogs on the body. The feet were pale green frog faces and Lila decided the ensemble was absolutely adorable.

She placed the item in her cart and also added a similar outfit, only this one was blue and grey stripped terry cloth. There was a small puppy logo on the chest and the feet were puppies. She added that to the cart, along with another terry cloth footie. It was baby blue and pale brown with monkeys on the chest and feet. The monkeys made her smile and she automatically thought of Ashley, since monkeys were her favorite animal, other than snakes of course.

A shelf of onesies caught her eye so walked over. She immediately noticed the Gerber 5-backs and began to stock up. She knew Spencer would think she was crazy, but she didn't mind. Afterall, in all of the baby books and websites she devoured, they all agreed a baby could never have too many onesies. As she reached for a pack, she could sense someone was staring at her.

Nervously, she looked over, silently praying it wasn't a reporter or crazed stalker. Instead, the onlooker was a woman in her early thirties and from the outside looked completely normal. She was about the same height as Lila and had dark brown hair, which was thrown back in a messy ponytail. Her eyes matched her hair and her face was angular in shape, her skin pale. She was wearing a brown sweatsuit and Lila could see a baby bump poking against the woman's tank top. The tank top was pale pink with a darker pink heart in the center that was embroidered with the words "#1 Mom."

Speaking of motherhood, the woman had a small cluster of young children with her. A boy who appeared to be about four stood on the end of the cart, holding onto the sides to keep from falling off. He had sandy blonde hair and the same big brown eyes as his mother. He was wearing a brown and grey stripped t-shirt, denim shorts, and no shoes. Lila noticed a pair of sandals sticking out of the woman's diaper bag and silently deduced the woman had decided it was simply easier to placate her son than fight with him.

The next little boy in the bunch appeared to be around three and kept trying to climb onto the front of the cart, despite his mother's objections. He had dark brown hair, almond shaped dark brown eyes, and a smile that seemed permanently etched onto his little face. He wore denim overalls and a white t-shirt. Unlike his older brother, his shoes firmly remained on his feet. He decided to obey his mother's request and jumped off the cart. Instead, he decided to amuse himself by hiding in one of the clothing racks.

The baby boy in the group giggled at his brother's antics and clapped his hands appreciatively. Lila guessed he was seven or eight months old and he was a perfect combination of his two older brothers. He had the three year old's dark hair and eyes, yet his smile and facial expressions perfectly mirrored the four year old's. He wore a sailor inspired one piece emsemble as well as a bib.

The last child in this adorable cluster was a little girl, who silently stood by her mother's side. She appeared to be around two and looked almost bored by her brothers' antics. She had sandy blonde, shoulder length hair, which was held up in pigtails, and warm brown eyes. She wore a pink checkered summer dress and white sandals. She leaned against her mother's leg and silently sucked on two of her fingers, something she had done since birth.

The woman shot another nervous look towards Lila before placing a pack of onesies in the cart. The little girl tugged on her pant leg and reached up her hands, wanting to be placed in the cart. The woman bent over to pick her up, granting her request. The little girl sat against the cart and resumed her favorite method of self soothing. Lila observed them quietly before deciding to make the first move.

"You have a beautiful family," Lila said, smiling as the two older boys began chasing each other around the racks.

"Thank you," the woman said, looking surprised that Lila would want to talk to her. The she turned her attention back to the boys, who were pushing on one of the racks.

"Jack Benjamin and Jameson Matthew, what have I told you about misbehaving in the store? I want you boys to stand next to this cart and do not move. Is that clear?"

"Yes mommy," the boys mumbled in unison as they shuffled towards her. Lila couldn't help but smile as they took their places.

"Who is who?" Lila asked.

"I'm Jack!" the blonde haired boy said.

"And I'm Jameson!" the dark haired boy said.

"Jack is four and Jamie is three," the woman said, deciding to give her sanity a rest and simply place the boys inside the cart with their sister.

As the woman lifted Jack, Lila picked up Jameson. The woman thanked her and introduced the girl as Mallory, the baby as Charlie, and herself as Sharon. It turned out that Sharon's husband, Jack Benjamin Shultz Sr, worked at the Quantico office as well, only he worked in terrorism. As the women loaded their carts with onesies, Sharon seemed to be struggling for words. She had never met a celebrity before and didn't know what to say to her.

She couldn't imagine what she could possibly have in common with a rich and famous movie star. Lila noticed Sharon's hesitation, so she decided to speak. Lila was usually shy around strangers, so this boldness took her by surprise. Her appointments with Dr. Soshi must have been paying off.

"When are you due?" Lila asked.

"Around Thanksgiving. Charlie's birthday is the twenty-fifth, so it would make life so much easier if their birthdays were close together."

"How close are your other childrens' birthdays?" Lila asked.

"Jack's birthday is January twelfth, Jamie's birthday is February twenty-second, and Mallory's is January seventh. I never thought I would have five children in four years, but now I couldn't imagine it any other way."

"I love the idea of having a large family close in age," Lila said. "my husband thinks I'm crazy, but I'm already daydreaming about baby #2."

"When are you due?" Sharon asked, understanding her sentiment.

"March sixteenth," Lila said, resting a hand on her still flat tummy. "my husband and I are having a friendly debate about our baby's gender, but I am certain the baby is a boy."

"A mother usually knows. When I was pregnant with Mallory, my doctor said she was a boy, but I felt differently. It was a feeling I couldn't quite explain, but it wouldn't go away. My husband thought it was simply a case of wishful thinking when I kept buying pink onesies and dresses, but he decided it was easier to simply humor me."

"I love it when husbands make smart decisions."

The women laughed and Lila asked her another question. "Do you know what you're having?"

Sharon nodded. "I'm having another boy. Poor Mallory is surrounded by nothing but boys," she said, her toned amused.

"I love the idea of having all boys," Lila said. "my husband wants a houseful of girls, but I just love the idea of having mini replicas of him."

"I like having each gender because they are both amazing and special in their own unique way. Before I had children I had my own vision of an 'ideal family', but now I can't imagine my family any other way."

Lila nodded and Sharon pulled a stack of coupons and gift cards out of her purse. As Lila looked on, Sharon continued speaking.

"When I told my friends and family about this new baby, I made it clear that a baby shower was out of the question. To be honest, I hadn't wanted one when I was pregnant with Jack and I was almost embarassed when they threw one when I was pregnant with Mallory. So instead, they mailed me giftcards, saying I may have put the kibosh on a party and gifts, but I didn't say anything about gift_cards_."

Lila laughed, knowing Ashley would make that same statement, but would probably throw the babyshower anyway. She too shared Sharon's sentiments regarding that custom and didn't know how she could feel once that time came.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't need much of anything for this baby. He is going to use Jamie's old crib and can share dresser space with Charlie. I have plenty of toys and clothes and since the baby is sharing a room with Charlie, I don't need to worry about decorating the nursery. My breastpump still works and I have more bottles than Babies R Us, Walmart, and Kmart put together. All I really need is some extra onesies, cloth diapers, and wipes."

"After doing some research, I have decided to use cloth diapers as well. I think they are better for the baby's skin, as well as the environment," Lila said.

"They are also cheaper and help the kids potty train faster. Jack and Jamie have been fully trained since they were two and Mallory is almost there. Believe me, the less time I have three kids in diapers at once the better. When the first three were born I felt like all I ever did _was _change diapers."

"I can imagine," Lila said.

The two women continued their shopping and Lila learned more about her new friend. As it turned out, Sharon and her family only lived a few blocks away from her and Spencer. She was raised in Fredericksburg, which was where much of her family still remained. Her parents, older sister Vickie and her family lived in a mobilehome park within minutes of the store. The oldest sister, Tabitha, lived in Baltimore and the baby of the family, the surprise baby known as Sammie, was attending college and working as a ski instructor in Colorado.

As for Sharon herself, she was thirty-three years old and had been happily married to her husband for ten years. They were highschool sweethearts and had only ever been with each other. They often joked they got it right the first time so they felt no need to look elsewhere. After graduating from the University of Virginia, Sharon worked as an accountant until Jack Jr was born. Once her family started growing, she traded the corporate world for home and hearth and said she had never been happier or more stressed in her entire life.

Once the women had filled their carts, they went to the checkout counter and paid for their purchases. True to her word, Sharon hadn't spent much on the new baby. Instead, she spent a majority on it on Jack, Jamie, Mallory, and Charlie. She didn't want them feeling left out with the new baby coming, so she treated them to some toys and new clothes. The boys especially were so used to hand-me-downs that Sharon liked to special things for them when she could. The amazing sale, endless clearance rack, and bonus card also did their part to make her coupons and gift cards go ever farther.

It was no surprise to either one of them that between them they had six carts and a small army of helpful and understanding staff to help them to their vehicles. As luck would have it, Lila's black SUV was parked in close proximity to Sharon's purple mini van. As the staff loaded their goodies, Sharon looked over at Lila.

"I had fun in there. I've never met a famous person before and didn't know what to expect, but you are so nice and down-to-earth." 

"Thank you for saying that, Sharon, because I had a great time with you as well. I'm a shy person by nature, so it's nice to know I'm going to have at least one friend in my new hometown. To be perfectly honest, I've never had many friends." Outside of Ashley, Emma, and Stella, the only people Lila had in her life that she considered friends were the ones she had met through Spencer.

"Well I think that's going to change. Once the others in the neighborhood get to know you they'll see you're just a regular person." Suddenly, a look of inspiration flickered in Sharon's eyes.

"Lila, I still have gift cards and coupons for the Carter's outlet next door and I would like to get some more things for the kids. If you aren't busy, would you like to come along? After I'm finished shopping I plan on taking the kids to see my family if you are interested."

"I can't think of a better way to spend the day," Lila said sincerely.

Best of all, she didn't have to worry about tending to Lucky since Garcia was with her right now. While Lila was in the middle of her shopping spree, Garcia had called to ask if she could come by to see the puppy. Lila agreed, but since she wasn't home Garcia would have to let herself in with the extra key Spencer had given her. Spencer and Lila had decided it was best to have a spare housekey in case they needed it and decided to let Garcia hold onto it since she almsot never traveled with the team on business.

"I like you, Lila. You're nice," Jack said.

"Thank you, Jack. I think you're nice, too," Lila said, picking her up and balancing him on her hip.

"That's a good look for you," Sharon said.

Lila beamed and the happy little cluster crossed the parking and walked into Carter's, with thoughts of retail therapy and gossip on the women's minds and mischief and mayheim on the minds of the dear, sweet, innocent-looking children.


	61. Chapter 61 Cast of Characters

Chapter Sixty-One-Cast of Characters

"Susoicion is a mental picture seen through an imaginary keyhole."~ Thomas Paine

As Lila was enjoying her newfound popularity, the BAU was busy trying to solve their latest case. Spencer and Morgan were in the sitting room of Michelle Newton's house. The sheriff had given the men a list of the victims' closest friends and when they called to set up a meeting with Michelle, she not only agreed but also said she would arrange for the others to meet with them as well. As Morgan looked around the expansive, expensively decorated room filled with well dressed, well bred teenagers, he felt as if he were trapped in an episode of 90210. And if Spencer had ever heard of the series, he certainly would have agreed.

The two men were sitting in chairs in front of the fireplace, which gave them the perfect viewing angle for all of the key players in this sad, sad saga. Michelle Newton was the undesputed lady of the house and her demeanor suggested that she wouldn't let her staus be question. At seveteen, the attractive young lady reminded Morgan and Spencer of a pinup from years past. She had a voluptuous shape and incredibly pale, buttery smooth skin. Her chin length, raven locks were a sharp contrast to her complexion, as were her dark brown eyes and red lipstick.

She wore an off-the-shoulder maroon and lilac stripped silk top, form fitting dark jeans, and red open toed heels that were high enough to conceal her mere 5'5 vertical status. She was sitting on the arm of the overstuffed, sectional couch, beside a classically handsome, dark haired, blue eyed young man named Justin Chamberlin. Not only was he blessed with all American good looks, but he was also quaterback on the football team and the son of a very prominent surgeon. His hand was resting on Michelle's thigh and he was silently taking in the presence of the two FBI agents. To his left was Adam Weston, another classically good looking seventeen year old with sandy blonde hair, warm honey eyes, and the chiseled features of a roman statue.

Beside him was Isabella Winters, his girlfriend of one year and daughter of a well respected, wealthy inventor/lawyer. She was a fair skinned beauty with shoulder length, thick brown hair, brown eyes, and a slight blush to her cheeks. Adam's arm was around her and her head rested on his shoulders. Sitting beside him was Lindsey Wilson, the youngest of seven daughters born to Timothy and Lake Wilson, who were prominent opera singers. A fair skin beauty like Isabella and Michelle, she was blessed with a shock of shoulder length red hair.

Her most prominent facial feature was her expressive ocean blue eyes, which made her fair skin glow. Beside her was Adrian Fairfax, her tall, dark, and handsome better half. He too played on the football team, but his true love was competitive sailing. Beside him was Amera Yousif, a gorgeous Chaldean girl and only child of Hussain Yousif, another prominent surgeon. She was quietly conversing with her boyfriend Anwar Swidan, another goodlooking Chaldean youth, as well as her boyfriend of two years.

As Anwar and Amera spoke, a young lady of Chinese descent chimed in occassionally. Her name was Ling Xian and she fingered her long, black hair as the threesome engaged in their serious, hushed conversation. She was the only child of Cheng and Ming Xian, prominent business owners. Her boyfriend Sheng Ye, sat quietly beside her as he stared at his blackberry, checking his email. Beside him a tall, athletically build Native American girl sat quietly drinking a bottle of raspberry flavored water.

Her name was Rebekka Blackhorn and she was the oldest daughter of Dasan and Aponi Blackhorn, a diplomat and archaeologist respectively. When she wasn't on archeological expeditions, Aponi also taught archeology at Oakland University. As she drank her water, she fingers the neckline of her tank top, looking bored with the events before her. Sitting beside her was her sixteen year old sister, Neena. Despite the age difference, Neena was in the same class as Rebekka and her friends since she skipped eighth grade.

Neena was as tall as her sister, but her hair fell slightly below her chin, instead of past her buttocks like Rebekka's. She was currently organizing the contents of her Prada bag and looked just as bored as her sister. Beside Neena was Jonathan Rafferty, Rebekka's boyfriend of six months. He was about 6'2 with dark brown hair and eyes and a well toned, athletic body. He looked over at Rebekka, trying to get her attention, but she chose not to engage him. After scanning each cast member carefully, Morgan spoke.

"Goodmorning everyone and thank you for agreeing to meet with us. My name is Supervisory Special Agent Derek Morgan," he began, gesturing to Spencer who gave his usual shy wave. "and this is my colleague Supervisory Special Agent..."

"Oh my God, I know who you are. You are Spencer Reid, the dude who married Lila Archer. I like** fucking love **her!" Lindsey exclaimed. "Emotional Cages was like the best show **ever**!"

"Umm, thank you. My wife will be pleased to know you are a fan of her work," Spencer said, the bemusement apparent on his face.

"Your wife is so hot man. I have her poster on my wall-you know, the one where she's posing in that red string bikini. Oh my God. You are one lucky man," Adam said, lust filling his eyes. Spencer was grateful when Isabella promptly slapped his arm.

"Now that we are well aquainted with one another," Morgan continued, giving the kids a stern look of warning. "we want to talk to you about Christina and Jessica. We want to know more about what they were like, where they liked to hang out, any possible enemies..."

"Oh my God, like everybody loved Jessie and Chrissie. They were our best friend and they were just like the sweetest girls never," Lindsey said. Her eyes immediately filled with tears at the thought of her dearly departed friends, so she reached into her purse for a tissue.

"That statement isn't entirely true, given what has happened to them," Morgan said. "can you think of anyone that would have a grudge against Jessica and Christina?"

"Not anyone important. Jessie and Chris were popular and beautiful, so jealousy just comes with the territory," Michelle said, reaching for a small gold bell on the coffee table. She held it up in the air and rang it until a small, stout woman in a maid's uniform rushed into the room. Michelle eyed the woman with scorn and annoyance as she spoke.

"It's about time you showed up. Bring refreshments in here for me and my guests and hurry up," she ordered.

"Can you think of anyone who isn't important?" Spencer asked, trying not to let the disgust seep into his voice. He couldn't help but wonder if Jessica and Christina were this self indulged and obnoxious as well. It amazed him that his wife was also raised in privilege, perhaps even moreso than these kids, and she was a perfect angel.

"Not really. Like, the only people we really like hang out with is each other," Michelle said.

"You and Lindsey told Sheriff Johnson that the two of you spent the day together with Jessica and Christina the day Jessica was murdered. What time did you meet up and where did you meet up? Did you meet them at the mall or one of your houses?" Spencer asked.

"Uh, I dunno, isn't all this shit in like the police reports or something?" Michelle asked, looking increasingly more bored.

"Your statements to the police are in our files, but it is quite normal for law enforcement to conduct further interviews with friends of the deceased," Spencer eyes, his eyes narrowing as he spoke to the disrespectful youngester. "sometimes people remember things a second time around they didn't remember the first time."

"The girls came to my house at like eleven," Lindsey said. "I had just finished my voice lesson, so after we ate lunch we went to the mall."

"What time did you arrive at the mall-and which mall was this?" Morgan asked.

"Great Lakes mall and I think it was like twelve thirtyish..." Lindsey said, looking to Michelle for confirmation or correction.

"I think it was actually like closer to one or just past one because there was an accident or something on the freeway so we were down to only one lane and it took a while to get there," Michelle stated.

At that moment the maid appeared with a silver cart filled with sandwiches, fresh fruit, chocolates, bottled water, juice, soft drinks, and other easy foods. Morgan and Spencer thanked her, but the teenagers remained silent. As everyone filled their plates with their desired goodies, Spencer continued with the conversation. He wasn't feeling hungry, but he took a bottled water and an orange anyway. He liked the feel of the firm fruit in his hands and playing with it gave him something to do and alieved some of his anxiety.

"Did you stay at mall until the movie started? What shops did you visit?" Spencer asked.

"There's a theater inside the mall, so we didn't have to leave the mall to see the movie," Lindsey said, taking a bite out of a chicken salad sandwich.

"So what did you do while you waited for the movie?" Spencer asked.

"Nothin much; just wandered around and talked," Lindsey said with a shrug.

"What do you have to say about all this?" Morgan asked Michelle, who was drinkin herbal tea and nibbling on a bran muffin.

"There isn't much to add. The girls and I wandered around the mall for a while, watched the movie, and that was it."

Spencer and Morgan exchanged glances, sensing there was more to the story then they were letting on. Spencer looked over at Rebekka, Amera, and Anwar, who were engaged in deep conversation, ignoring the cart of goodies before them.

"Would you like to share something with us?" he asked.

"Not especially," said Rebekka, who handed her water bottle to Jonathan so he could dispose of it.

"We have nothing relevent to add," Anwar said, earning a glare from Amera.

"Why don't you let us decide what is relevent," said Morgan, moving his chair closer to the kids.

It was at that moment that a tall, imposing looking man entered the room. He appeared to be in his early fifties and had impeccibly styled salt and peppered colored hair, piercing blue eyes, and wore a suit that cost more than what Spencer and Morgan made in an entire month combined. The FBI agents rose from their seats as the man approached them, eyes blazing.

"Who the Hell are you and what is the meaning of this? Who do you think you are barging into my home, interrogating minors without counsel or their parents present?"

"And you are..." Morgan asked.

"George Newton, attorney and owner of this house. I am terminating this meeting and if you wish to speak to any of my clients again, it will only be with me present. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Morgan replied, staring down the man, not intimidated in the slightest. He looked over at Spencer, who was equally unimpressed. "let's go Reid."

Spencer nodded and followed Morgan out of the house, giving each of the teenagers a final look as they left the house. He knew the kids were hiding something and until he figured out what it was, he knew none of them were safe.


	62. Intimidation, Interrogation, Revelation

Chapter Sixty-Two: Intimidation, Interrogation, Revelation

"The truth is rarely pure and never simple."~ Oscar Wilde

It was the next day and Spencer could feel the nervous energy pulsating through his slender, sinfully delicious body. He knew the possible ramifications of what he was about to do, but the potential reward was too strong to ignore. For the sake of the case, the victims' families, his own sanity, he had to do whatever was necessary. He ran a nevous hands through his hair before ringing the doorbell. Mere moments later, the door to the ridicuously large home opened and Spencer was greeted by a nervous looking housekeeper.

Spencer smiled nervously at her and flashed his badge and ID. The woman nodded, and stepped aside, allowing Spencer to enter. As he put away his wallet and followed the woman into the sitting room, he took in his surroundings. He surmised that the home was between ten to twelve thousand square feet and was decorated in opulent, rich colors, overstuffed, luxerious furniture, and knick knacks costing more than Spencer made in a year. The sitting room walls were painted deep red and gold with sheer curtains hanging from the large, welcoming windows.

The carpeting was was plush and soft, and a crystal candy dish graced the coffee table. Gold animal statues were placed strategically throughout the room and expensive paintings graced the walls. A flag from the homeowner's motherland was displayed proudly over the fireplace with religious figurines on the mantal. It wasn't long until the housekeeper entered the room, with the people of interest walked beside her. Spencer rose from his seat and extended his hand, wanting to set them at ease.

"Hello, Dr. Yousif; hello Amera. My name is..."

"Yes, yes, I know who you are," Dr. Yousiff said, holding up his hand to silence him. He turned his attention to Amera, who had her arms crossed in front of her with a nervous expression on her face.

"Amera, tell the agent everything he wants hear, do you understand me? Your friends' opinions mean nothing to me: we are cooperative and accomodating of law enforcement in this house, do you understand me?" he demanded, his expression serious.

"What about what Mr. Newton said?" Amera asked.

"I don't *care* what Mr. Newton said," Dr. Yousiff said, becoming increasingly impatient. "*I* am in charge of this family, not him, and you will do as I say, is that understood? If I find out that you have been less than accomodating of Agent Reid's orders, I will ship you off to Jordan and you will never see your friends again, much less that boyfriend of yours."

"Dr. Yousiff, I can handle it from here," Spencer said, knowing full well his line of questioning would only work if Amera was relaxed and at the rate her father was going, she was going to be one of his patients.

"Very good, Agent Reid. If there is nothing else, I must go to the hospital and make my rounds."

"Yes, sir, have a nice day," Spencer said, shaking his hand. Dr. Yousiff nodded to the agent, cast another stern look towards his daughter, and stormed out of the house. Spencer looked back at Amera, whom he likened to a mouse being dangled in a python's cage. Spencer knew he had to do what he could to make her see that he wasn't the python, but rather the kindly animal control officer coming to her aid.

"I'm sorry your father is so hard on you," he said kindly.

"Oh, that? Trust me Agent Reid, that is nothing. You should see him when he's mad," Amera said.

"You wouldn't call threats of deportation angry?" Spencer asked, looking surprised.

"You should have heard him when I got a tattoo last summer. His face got all red and if that huge vein in his forehead had popped, he would have singlehandedly stopped the blood shortage throughout the country."

"What did he say?" Spencer asked, chuckling as they sat on the sofa.

"He was sputtering and swearing profusely, mostly in English and Arabic, but also in French for some reason. He said he was going to throw my body into the Dead Sea so the sharks could rip the monstrocity off of my body."

"But sharks don't live in the Dead Sea. In fact, the Dead Sea..."

"Gets its name because its high salinity prevents macroscopic aqatic organisms, such as fish and aquatic plats from living in it. I pointed that out to him, but apparently when a man learns his only child had her boyfriend's name tattooed on her ass, he isn't interested in a marine biology tutorial."

"Where in Jordan does your family live?" Spencer asked.

"Amann mostly, but some of them have moved out of the city. My grandfather and uncles have a medical practice in the city, but my father moved to this country to attend medical school. Please understand that my father is a wonderful, caring man. He just has to have his way all the time."

"Which clearly doesn't happen, since it's pretty obvious you didn't visit the Dead Sea and I'm fairly certain you still have your tattoo."

Amera nodded. "Mother told him what's done is done and it would be easier to let it go than to waste time and energy trying to get rid of it. As usual, Dad huffed and puffed, but didn't blow me or the house down. The one good thing about him is his fits of rage are intense, but short lived."

Spencer merely nodded and the housekeeper entered the room, wheeling in a tray of tea, scones, butter, jam, and fresh fruit. She parked the cart next to the coffee table and Spencer and Amera helped themselves. Amera was adding sugar to her tea as she spoke.

"I know you are not hear to inquire about my family or ability to light my father's already too short fuse. Ask your first question."

"I want to know where everyone _really _was the night Jessica and Christina died. I saw you whispering with your boyfriend and friend and it appeared you had something you wanted to share with Agent Morgan and myself, but felt too self conscious to reveal."

"What makes you think our verbal menage a trois had anything to do with Jessie and Chrissie? We simply could have been discussing what do later on that day."

"Yes, in theory that is possible, but part of my job is reading people and the signals the three of you were giving off did not suggest you were planning a trip to the mall...a trip that the fourt girls never made in the first place."

"How did you...?" Amera asked, trying to keep her expression neutral.

"Other than the fact that the girls couldn't remember what shops they visited, the movie they saw, or what time they arrived, my team discovered that they couldn't have gone to the mall during the time frame they specified, since a major car accident blocked the route they claimed they took."

"The girls simply could have gone another way," Amera pointed out, losing her taste for tea. She set it on the table, folding her hands in her lap.

"Yes, but our technical analyst scanned surveilence footage from the mall on the day in question and she was unable to locate your friends and parking lot footage was unable to find any of their vehicles. Why don't we stop this game of verbal dance and you tell me what really happened? I don't believe you are our suspect, but your evasiveness could get you into trouble with more than just your short-fused father."

Amera closed her eyes and took a deep breath before speaking. "You were right, Dr. Reid, my friends did not go to the mall. In fact, Lindsey didn't even have her voice lesson because she wasn't home that day. Her parents have been on tour since the beginning of April and she has been spending pretty much every waking moment with Adrian. Her voice coach and housekeeper adore her, so they cover on the rare occassions her parents call to check on her."

Spencer remained silent as Amera continued. "Linds was at Adrian's house, as usual, and the two of them decided to throw a party. They called the gang and we ran out to get provisions, since our parties tend to last longer than others. Jess, Chrissie, and Michelle were out getting stuff for the party, along with everything else. Ling's parents own several restaurants, as well as wineries, so I was helping her smuggle booze out of their wine cellar. We got to Adrian's house around noon and Jess and Chris left around eight or nine. The rest of us continued partying well into the next day, until...until we heard..."

Spencer simply nodded, not needing the completion of that sentence to understand its full meaning. Amera simply continued speaking, as if a floodgate had been opened.

"My friends and I have grown up in a way that others may deem unconventional. Our parents are masters of their field of choice, but maintaining power and prestiege leaves little room for child rearing. From the moment we slid down the birth canal, we were entrusted to the care of staff members too besotted by us and too terrified of losing their jobs, and in some cases their greencards, to try to keep us in check. Mrs. Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. Austin's housekeeper, loved Chrissie like her own and could never deny her anything. Chrissie was that woman's whole world and rumor is she isn't going to last long without her."

"Does Mrs. Edwards have children of her own?" Spencer asked.

"Her husband passed away a long time ago and from what I understand, he was sterile, so they never had children together. She does, however, have a grown son, but he is severely disabled, so he is living in a group home somewhere."

Suddenly, something hit Spencer: something so extradinary that its mere utterance would sound ludicious to anyone else hearing it. He rose from his seat and Amera followed, a quizzical look on her face.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have more witnesses to speak with, but I would like to thank you for your cooperation and honesty. Rest assured that your father's vein can rest easy tonight."

Amera giggled and Spencer exited the house, determined to uncover the next piece of this already intricate, dysfunctional puzzle.


	63. Chapter 63 Secrets Revealed

Chapter Sixty-Three-Secrets Revealed

"Secrets are made to be found out with time."~ Charles Sanford

As Spencer stood in front of the door of the small cottage, he knew he had to tread carefully. He knew the information he was requiring was useful, but devastating to the person who needed to reveal it. He knocked gently and a minute or two later was greeted by Mrs. Edwards, the Austin family's housekeeper and Christina's beloved nanny. Spencer took one look at the woman and didn't need to use his special profiler powers to see the dispair and hopelessness on her face.

Greta Edwards had just turned thirty-eight last month, but the dark circles under her eyes and grey tint to her skin made her appear much older. Her hair was once a sunny blonde, but was now slowly turning white. Her eyes, once a sparkling blue, were now dead and lifeless. Greta had always been slender, but recent dramatic weight loss caused her black nightgown to simply hang from her emaciated frame. She led Spencer into her bedroom, since he had already politely declined her offer of coffee or tea.

He assisted her back into bed, which he sumized she hadn't left since the day she found Christina dead. Piled in and around the bed were numerous photo albums, framed photos, and other rememberances of the dearly departed Christina. In fact, the entire cottage was a shrine to the deceased teenager. Greta picked up a framed photo and fingered it gently, her thoughts wandering as Spencer spoke.

"Mrs. Edwards, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but I was hoping you could answer some questions about the twenty-four hours leading up to Christina's death."

"Everything I know, I tell police," Mrs. Edwards said, her voice thick from grief as well as a German accent. Having grown up on a small farm thirty miles outside of Berlin, she immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

"Yes ma'am, I understand, but my job differs somewhat from that of a police officer's. An officer's job is to collect evidence and see how the pieces fit together. My job is to look at those pieces and use them to determine what sort of person would commit such a crime. Once I determine the _type _of person, my team and I can _find _that person."

"What you want to know?" Mrs. Edwards asked.

"Why don't you start by telling me what Christina was like. Was she outgoing, adventerous? What was her role in her group of friends?"

"My sweet Tina was loved by everybody," Mrs. Edwards said emphatically. "her friends love her. They here all the time. They have a party the day she...she..."

"I am assuming Mr. and Mrs. Austin had no idea of the plans their daughter had come up with," Spencer said.

A flash of anger and disgust swept over Greta's face. "They no care about Tina. They no spend time with her or take care of her. Peter always working and the missus always with friends or traveling with her husband. *I* always take care of Tina. *I* the one who rocked, held, fed, changed, and bathed her as a baby. *I* the one stayed with her in hospital when she sick. *I* the one who spend time with her, listen to her, *I* the one..."

"You are Christina's biological mother, aren't you?" Spencer said, stating more than asking.

"How...how you...?" Greta sputtered, looking amazed that Spencer was able to make the connection.

"The revelation came to me not long ago and I must thank one of Tina's friends for helping me with its discovery. She said while household staff treated her and her friends with kid gloves and allowed them privileges out of fear, you genuinely loved Tina. She said you loved Tina more than anything in the world and that your entire life revolved around her. She also stated that you became dispondent after Tina's death, a reaction very common for a mother who doted on her only daughter."

"I love Tina more than life itself. She was my angel, my baby, my light. If not for her, I leave America years ago."

"Why don't you tell me from the beginning what happened. If Christina is your child, why was she given to Mr. and Mrs. Austin? Who fathered your son Ezra, since according to our research you were never really married."

"I was sixteen when I come to this country. My family very poor-I was raised on small farm with seventeen brothers and sisters, so opportunities were scarce. My family send me to America to get job, finish school, have better life. Then I meet Peter and missus."

Spencer remained silent as Greta continued, her expression growing more grave as her life passed in front of her. "I start work for them and it was okay-I had my own quarters, make good money, and go to school. I finishing high school when I get pregnant."

"Peter Austin fathered your child, didn't he?"

Greta nodded. "I studying when I hear knock on my door. I answer and there stood Peter, wanting to talk. We talk and he told me he thought I was beautiful, much more beautiful then missues. He kiss me and took me to his room. Missues was on two week cruise, so I was allowed to stay in bedroom with Peter. He said he loved me and wanted to marry me, but can't because missus get all his money and house. After missus come home, we continue affair, but in secret."

Greta cleared her throat before continuing. "Peter and I have affair for one year before I get pregnant. Peter tell missus I have boyfriend at school and he father of baby. Missus not believe him, but allow me stay so her friends not find out. Pregnancy not easy-I carry Ezra during hot summer and doing job got harder. Doctors say I need rest, but missus no let me, saying I need to work. When I have Ezra-there were complications..."

"I have him three months early and he no get enough oxygen during birthing. He have brain damage, blind, deaf. My son twenty now, but still need care like baby. When he two, missus send him to place for kids like him."

"What happened when Mrs. Austin discovered you were pregnant with Christina?" Spencer asked.

"When I get pregnant with Tina, missus trying to have baby, but can't. Doctors say her womb broken and no have babies. When Peter tell her about baby, she say if she keep baby, she no tell police Peter touch me when I was underage and I can stay in America. If I no let her have baby, Peter go to jail and I go to Germany and never see Ezra again. I let her keep Tina, but I Tina's mother. I loved Tina-missus never love her. Missus wanted baby to trap Peter to get his money and keep him from marrying me."

"Did Tina know the truth?" Spencer asked.

Greta's eyes widened and she shook her head. "If I tell Tina truth, I get sent to Germany and Peter go to jail."

"Greta, the statute of limitiations on statutory rape had expired. Peter cannot go to jail for what he did because it was such a long time ago. And your green card is still current so there is no basis for deportation. Even if Mrs. Austin fired you, that doesn't necessarily mean you must return to Germany."

Greta remained silent as Spencer continued. "What did Tina tell you about her plans for that night? Where was she going, what was she doing?"

"There was a party and her friend Adrian's house, so Tina and her friends were going there. I help Tina get ready: I fix her hair, do her make-up, help her choose outfit. She said her boyfriend be there."

"Christina had a boyfriend?" Spencer asked, looking surprised, since Mr. and Mrs. Austin claimed their daughter was single at the time of her death.

Greta nodded. "Tina and Jessie both have boyfriends. Older boys-college boys parents no like if they knew."

"What were their names?"

"Tina's boyfriend name Tommy and Jessie boyfriend named Eric."

"Do you know their last names? What did they look like? Where did they go to school?"

"I not remember Jessie, but Tina boyfriend go to school of funny hat and have last name of a bird."

It was at that moment that Spencer's cellphone vibrated in his pocket. He took the phone out of his pocket and answered, holding it up to his ear.

"Yes JJ?"

"Spence, where are you right now?"

"I'm interviewing Greta Edwards, Mr. and Mrs. Austin's housekeeper."

"Well, wrap it up because we need you back at the station. There has been more murders."


	64. Chapter 64 Cracking the Case

Chapter Sixty-Four-Cracking the Case

Use this quote for when the Unsub is revealed: You can bend it and twist it..you can misuse and abuse it...but even God cannot change the truth."~ Michael Levy

It was early the next morning and the BAU was still hard at work on this increasingly difficult, and bloody, case. When JJ told Spencer there were more murders, she wasn't kidding: not one, or two, but three new teenage victims were the newest occupants of the Oakland County Morgue. The victims were Michelle Newton, Lindsey Wilson, and Isabella Winters. All three murders were as distinct as they were vicious and the BAU was trying to determine what type of Unsub would murder so many people in such a short period of time.

Michelle Newton, the imperious only child of identically personalitied George Newton, was found dead in the living room, the victim of suffocation. She was found laid out on the floral printed sofa, her short raven hair sprawled out on the armrest. The glass top of the coffee table was placed on top of her body and crystal figurines were lined all around her, taken out of a nearby china cabinet. Placed on a nearby end table was a partially eaten Machintosh apple. Tests revealed that the apple had been ingested with a sleep inhancement liquid, which explained how the unsub was able to suffocate her with no struggle. The medical examiner placed her time of death around noon the previous day and her body wasn't discovered until shortly before JJ called Spencer.

Lindsey Wilson was found face down in her family's swimming pool, her time of death about a day and a half prior. It was sumized that Lindsey returned to her parents' home the day Spencer and Morgan spoke to the group of teenagers and took what was to be her final dip. Her body was only found today because her parents had been out of town and the pool maintainence man came that day to service the pool. As he dragged her lifeless body out of the pool, Gertrude, the family's housekeeper, ran to call police. She hadn't discovered the body sooner because the Wilson had given her a couple days off for her birthday.

Isabella Winters was found in her parents' study with a bookshelf pushed onto her lifeless body with. Upon further inspection, it was revealed that she had been stabbed with a rose formed out of sworoski crystals, an anniversary gift from her boyfriend. She was found shortly after Lindsey, her body discovered by a very stricken housekeeper. Mrs. Reynolds had had the day off, returning to the house only to retrieve her pocket book. The sight of the bloody remains of the girl she had so lovingly tended to sent her into a state, causing her to collapse on the floor. She was currently in the hospital, her vital signs stable, but her emotions a wreck.

"What do you have for us, Garcia? Were you able to trace Christina and Jessica's boyfriends?" Hotch asked, his face grave as always as he stared at the case files.

"Mon Amie, if we were not swamped with such a serious subject matter I would be offended at such a question," Garcia replied. "Christina's other half was one Thomas Griffin, a twenty four year old Michigan State dropout. In the spirit of young, college youth he decided to spend his days drinking excessively and finding new and various ways to ditch class. He dropped out spring of last year, but considering he had more Fs than a Lisa Lampenelli stand up routine, he would have been asked to leave eventually."

"That explains what Mrs. Edwards meant when she referred to funny hats and the name of a bird," Rossi commented. "what about Jessica's boyfriend? And what did both boys do to keep themselves occupied?"

"Jessica's winner was Tobias Walker, another Mich-state drop out who apparently couldn't find a woman closer to his own age. He was twenty-five and both boys started working in a bar in downtown Royal Oak after their failed college careers. According to sources they procured phony ids so their underage friends could have adult fun. Witnesses report seeing the girls and their friends stumbling out of bar at closing time."

"Where are Tobias and Thomas now?" Spencer asked, striking those name off of his and Lila's babyname list, although Tobias never really had a chance anyway.

"They died in a car accident two days after Christina and Jessica were killed," Garcia said, causing the BAU's eyebrows to raise in unison. "examination of the car determined the brake lines had been loosened, but their blood/alcohol content was higher than the Empire State Building. It was tall enough to give the State of Liberty height insecurities."

"How high are we talking?" Prentiss asked.

"Tobias was four times the amount and Thomas's was twice Toby's amount. He had so much alcohol in his system doctors were uncertain as to how he was able to continue drinking. According to them, he should have passed out well before then."

"He could have been restrained and the Unsub could have forced alcohol down his throat," Morgan replied.

"Why weren't we informed about their deaths?" Prentiss asked.

"The police didn't find the connection, since no one knew they were romantically involved with out victims," Hotch replied. "both young men had a mystery of alcohol abuse and reckless behavior, so they originally believed that they worked on the car the night they died and somehow dislodged the brake lines."

"Oh my God, are Michigan state police really that stupid? How could they think such a thing?" Garcia demanded, shock and disbelief apparent on her face.

"Thomas and Tobias frequently worked on cars when they were intoxicated, so this was nothing new for them. And the brake lines were loosened, not cut, so it's possible they somehow loosened them in their drunken state," Prentiss said.

"Last year they decided to give Thomas's father's car an oil change after ingesting forty shots of tequilla-a piece. Apparently there was some alcohol left because they accidentally put tequilla into the car instead of oil, causing the engine to burst. They both suffered third degree burns when they tried to put out the fire with whiskey and water," Hotch answered, the disgust apparent in his voice.

"Wow, those midwestern people sure are geniuses," Garcia said, rolling her eyes. "I mean, how the hell would anyone think of something so stupid?"

"It's obvious that whoever is doing this has a drudge against this particular group of kids," Spencer said. "something must have happened at that party to trigger such a violent reaction. Garcia, is there any surveilence at Adrian's house? If footage from that night is still available we will ave our Unsub."

"Garcia, check into the group's school files: see if anyone has had transgressions with them over the last couple of years. Pay close attention to anything related to their romantic lives: girls this age are most visceral about boys," Prentiss said.

"How far should I go back?" Garcia asked.

"This kind of rage takes time to fester, so go back three years," Prentiss said.

"I am on it," Garcia said, signing out of the web cam so she could get back to work.

The BAU went back to work and it was some time later when Garcia contacted them again. After being warned by Hotch that she was on speaker phone, she spoke.

"Okay, so here's the scoop: I went back three years like I was told, but didn't find anything other than your typical teenage bitchiness, so I went back even further. It seems as if these girls have been friends since elementary school and have always had a reputation of being, shall we say, less than friendly to those they didn't consider equals. In eighth grade, all of the girls were given in school suspensions the last two weeks of school because of an incident with another girl."

"It seems that this girl desperately wanted to be a part of their group, but was snubbed because her daddy wasn't a wealthy lawyer or doctor. So, this girl created a binder on each girl and called it her "Disney Princess Collection", since each girl resembles a Disney princess. She would bring them to school with her everyday, and one day Isabella caught her with them in the school library. The girl pleaded with Isabella not to say anything and Isabella agreed, even joining her for lunch and talking with her. When the group asked Isabella what happened, she told them and the girls had a field say with their longstanding admirer. At lunch the next day, they put crowns on their heads and surrounded her, pushing onto the floor and telling her to hail "the disney princesses."

Garcia took a moment to regain her composure as she continued the sad story. "As the girl remained kneeling on the floor, the girls taunted her, calling her names, the most notable being "Disney Stalker" and "loser." They said someone as pathetic as her should just kill themselves since she was so worthless and disgusting."

"And no one did anything to stop this?" Spencer asked, his disgust for the victims now overshadowing any sympathy he may have had for them.

"Fellow classmates actually made things worse. They gathered around and started laughing and pointing at her, even dumping trash cans onto her. As the girl ran into the girl's bathroom, the group followed with binders in hand. They cornered her in a handicapped stall and took turns hitting her with them and dunking her head into a toilet. When a teacher finally caught up to them, she saw Michelle hitting her with a binder as Christina used the victim's head to mop the floor while singing "Cinderella"."

"Charges were never brought against these girls?" Prentiss asked, her enterior neutral while her interior brewed with disgust.

Garcia shook her head. "The girl was too scared to press charges and the school feared retaliation from the parents of the group, so they settled on in-school suspension, which consisted of sitting in a room together all day."

"So in other words, it was business as usual for them," Rossi concluded.

"Yup, pretty much," Garcia said.

"Do you have this girl's name?" Hotch asked.

Garcia nodded. "Her name is Melanie Johnson and she turned seventeen on July tenth-two days before the murders started. After the assault, Melanie was homeschooled by her mother."

"Did you say her last name was Johnson?" JJ asked.

Garcia nodded. "Yeah; is that...ohhhhhhh," she said, when it finally dawned on her.

"She is the daughter of Sheriff Johnson, the lead investigator in this case," Hotch said.

"Do you think he is involved?" JJ asked.

"No, but I think she has learned enough about police procedure from him to avoid being captured. There was no video surveilence or fingerprints at the crime scenes, so she is covering her tracks," Hotch replied.

Everyone was silent for a few moments until Spencer jumped from his chair, grabbing his car keys.

"If Sheriff Johnson is sharing information with his daughter, I know where she is going next," he replied. The rest of the team rose from their seats and followed behind, hoping they made it in time.


	65. Chapter 65 Eye of the Storm

Chapter Sixty-Five- Eye of the Storm

"Revenge is a confession of pain."~ Latin Proverb

The team quietly filtered their way into the Yousif house, their weapons drawn, their adrenaline rushing. A thunderstorm had just begun, drowning out whatever noise was being made in the house. Since Spencer had been to the house, he led the way, moving as stealtfully as a sexy panther. Amera's room was the last room on the right, secure and private, away from her parents' prying eyes. Spencer opened the door and the team saw that they had made it just in the knick of time.

Anwar was splayed on the floor, material from a ripped up carpet tied tightly around his neck, his head and face badly beated with a nearby gold lamp. Melanie was now stradling Amera, whom she had tied up with the remains of a very ornate, expensive Persian rug. She had also bludgeoned her with a lamp and was pouring sand down the semi conscious girl's throat. As Amera moaned and feably tried to turn her head, Spencer spoke.

"Melanie, it's all over now. We know the truth about what you've done and what these girls have done to you. Move away from Amera and we can talk," he said, his voice not wavering.

"No, it isn't over yet! This bitch isn't dead yet and I still have a few to go!" she said, her forrest green eyes blazed with hate.

"Melanie, what these girls did to you was awful-tormenting and chasing you out of school-that night at the party."

"How do you know what happened at the party?" Melanie demanded, throwing Amera hard onto the bed, although she remained closeby. She eyed Spencer the way a lioness would look at her prey.

"We conducted an investigation and had our technical analyst research the girls. We know that they lured you to Adrian's house that night with the promise of celebrating your birthday. We have footage of you entering and leaving his house. We found a report from St. John's Hospital on a girl matching your description after Christina and Jessica were murdered. We know that Tobias and Thomas raped you and the girls did nothing to stop it.

We know you tampered with their car the night they died. We got a subpoena and searced your bedroom. We found your binders, Melanie, where you compared each girl to a Disney princess and how you corrolated each death to match each girl: Isabella and the library, Jessica and the knitting needle, Christina and the shoe, Michelle and the glass table and poisoned apple, Lindsey in the swimming pool, now Amera with the sand, carpet, and lamp. We know how and when you were going to kill each girl. It's over now, Melanie. Let us help you."

"Those girls deserved to die after what they did to me!" Melanie exclaimed, pain now mixing with the intense anger. "After that bathroom incident it took months before I could use a restroom alone with the doors shut! They humiliated me in front of the entire school and no one did anything to stop or punish them! In-school suspension-yeah right, no one considers that a punishment! While I was at home alone in my room shaking with fear, they were in the same room together, carrying on as if nothing had happened!

All I ever wanted was to be their friend and all they did was hurt me. I carried their textbooks, fetched their lunch, cleaned out their cars, and all they did was treat me like dirt. As Christina was using my head as a mop, Bella looked down at me, laughed and said: 'since I'm the beauty, I guess this makes you the beast'! I was badly injured and humiliated beyond limits and they were making jokes! That bitch Bella looked me in the eye and swore she wouldn't tell the others about the binders. She said she knew what her friends were like and didn't want me to get hurt. My life ended after that day in the library, so I guess it's perfect that her life ended in one as well."

Melanie could feel the tears brimming in her eyes, so she quickly wiped them away as she continued. "When Lindsey and Adrian invited me to his house that night I was suspicious at first, but they reassured me that everyone was sorry for what they did to me and wanted to make things up to me. Lindsey suggested coming over for the party. She...she said it would be a way for us to start over and build our friendship. It turns out going over there was the biggest mistake of all our lives."

"The party started out well enough. The food was good and Ling had taken some alcohol from her parents cellar, so we weren't lacking for refreshments. We were all pretty tipsy when Michelle suggested I play "seven mintutes" with Tom and Toby. She said all the girls shared boyfriends all the time and it was their way of initiating me into their group. I was nervous, since I had never been with a boy before, but I agreed. I went into the closet with them and when I told them I was inexperienced, they laughed and said they would do all the work.

"Toby...Toby pinned me against the wall and ripped off my skirt. I screamed and told him to stop, but that just made them laugh even more. While he was kissing and biting my neck, Tom went behind me and shoved his fingers inside of me. It hurt and I continued screaming, but he just continued. Suddenly the closet door opened and I thought my nightmare had ended. It turns out it was just the beginning.

Everyone just stood there watching as the guys took turns raping me. Lindsey and Michelle were actually cheering and encouraging the boys, offering them suggestions on what to do to me. Jessica and Christina alternated between doing shots off of each other and touching each other to having sex with Michelle's boyfriend. Isabella and Ling were hooking up with their own boyfriends and Rebekka was giving John a lap dance. She is in a relationship with Jonathan Rafferty, John's best friend, but she thinks it's perfectly acceptable to see both men at the same time.

Neena, Rebekka's sister, Amera, and Anwar were in a corner talking, looking over at me, but doing nothing to stop what was happening. When Tom and Toby were finished, Lindsey and Michelle laughed and the guys strutted out of the closet, strutting and high fiving people as if they were studs. As they walked over to their girlfriends and took them back, I was left in a crumbled heap in the closet. Michelle walked into the closet, lifted me up, spit in my face, and said, 'happy birthday, whore. Now get the fuck out." She dragged me out of the house by the hair and threw me into the rose bushes, as if I was trash. It was just like junior high all over again, but only much, much worse."

"Melanie, I am so, so sorry for what happened to you," Spencer said, making slow steps in her direction. She moved backward, moving closer and closer to the window leading onto the balcony. "I know how it feels to be tormented by people you so desperately want to befriend, but violence isn't the answer. Please come with us and we can help you."

"It's over, Melanie," Rossi said, moving next to Spencer. "surrender yourself now and we can work something out, or we will take you out in a body bag. It's your call."

Melanie looked from Spencer to Rossi, to the mortally wounded teenagers laying helplessly in their own blood. Before anyone could react, she darted towards the window, jumping through the glass. Spencer and Rossi followed, leaping through the opening Melanie had created. She was now standing on the the balcony ledge, her back to them as she looked for a way to escape. Rossi aimed his firearm, but Spencer pushed his arm down, not wanting the case to resolve in a sea of bullets.

Despite the horrible things she had done, Spencer's heart went out to her and he wanted to help her. He remembered being the kid that no one liked and took pleasure in hurting. He understood her angst and dispair and feeling as if no one cared. Melanie looked down at the ground below her, four stories down to be exact. The rain was coming down harder, pounding into her like a barrage of tiny knives. She looked over and Spencer, then back at the ground, not knowing what to do.

"Melanie, please," Spencer said, holding his hand out to her.

As Melanie stood staring at him, lightning struck a large, thick tree branch that was a few feet over her head. Spencer raced toward her, but everything happened so fast that all he could do was stand back and watc in horror. The branch fell onto her head, causing her to slip off of the ledge. Her blood curling screams mingled eerilly with the shattering lighting, and piercing thunder. The sound of her slight body slamming into the ground below was muffled by the aggressive water that beat her to it.

The two men looked down at her in silence as paramedics burst into the room, working feverishly to save the victims. Spencer simply shook his head as e silently followed Rossi out of the room, not really knowing who the victims and villians were in this case, or anywhere for that matter.

It was a few days later and the BAU was on their jet, returning to Quantico. Usually they spent their air time sleeping or playing cards, but this time they sat in silence, each one reflecting on the case and the bombshells that followed after leaving the Yousif household. This particular case seemed to have a life of its own and no one would have been surprised if this case sprouted other cases.

While the team was in the house, Spencer received a message from the police station. It appeared that before they were able to name Melanie as a suspect, she had succeeded in eliminating the rest of the group. Ling was found in her parents' wine cellar, severely mutiliated with one of the many swords in her father's collection. Melanie had also surrounded Ling's body with fireworks and poured gasoline onto her body, setting the entire confection into flames. The family's gardener saw flames coming from the cellar and called police and the fire department. The house was mostly still in tact, but the same could not be said for Ling. Her parents were out of town on business and it took an entire day to contact them.

Rebekka and Neena were found in a canoe on the lake in the back of their family's ome, their heads smashed in with baseballs bats. Like te Xians, the Blackhorns were out of town as well, and it took some time to locate them. The girls' remains were found by boat police making their usual rounds of the lake. They were raced to the hospital, but were dead long before help arrived.

Amera and Anwar were the only ones who survived the horrific ordeal. They were both rushed into emergency surgery and were stable within two days. When both sets of parents were contacted-Amera's father was working, her mother was in Las Vegas, and Anwar's parents were visiting relatives in Jordan-they were angrier about their kids spending the night together than Melanie's trying to murder them.

Fearing the wrath of Amera's father, they escaped from the hospital and with the help of Anwar's cousins, packed their things, and fled to his house. By the time their parents caught up with them, the teenagers, who had turned eighteen two weeks prior, were married and living in an apartment in Kansas. Amera and Anwar both were disgusted by the antics of their group and disenchanted with the priviledged lives to which they had grown accustomed.

Although they did nothing to stop their friends actions, they were not active participants and wanted to start life over again. Amera's father screamed that she was a worthless whore and wanted nothing more to do with her while her mother's reaction was simply to sob for two hours before going to Windsor casino with a group of girlfriends. Anwar's parents remained in Jordan, deciding that cutting their five month vacation short would do nothing to rectify the situation, so their inconvenience wasn't necessary.

In fact, life seemed to go on very much business as usual for all of the families-except for Peter and Susan Austin of course. The death of their daughter Christina caused them to reevaluate their lives, although they both came to very different conclusions. Susan wanted to start trying for another child, mostly to keep her grip on Peter, as well as his fortune. Peter, however, was having none of it and moved out of their house, filing for divorce.

He, Greta, and Ezra were now living in his summer house in Hawaii while divorce lawyers did all the work. They were even quoted as saying they were going to try for another child and have the family they always wanted. Susan was quoted as saying she hoped her scoundral of a husband rotted in hell and she would take the bastard for everything he was worth.

Spencer sighed and sat back in his seat, looking at his cellphone. He saw he had at least a dozen missed calls from his wife, but chose not to respond. He was feeling emotially drained and besides, he didn't want to share this part of his life with her. He had decided early on that he would protect his family from the ugliness of his career and spare them the horrors of the world. Lila had already been through so much in her life that he didn't want to add more to that pile. He wanted to make her world as happy and secure as possible and if shutting her out was what it took, so be it.

It was at that moment his cellphone buzzed, indicating he had received a text message. He went to the message and realized it was from Austin. He hadn't spoken to her in a while, so this was a happy surprise.

_'Greetings master profiler! It's been a while since we last hung out, so come to the bar when you have time-drinks are on me!_

_~A~_

Spencer smiled and responded to the message, saying he would come see her later that night. Although he would take a bullet for Lila, he didn't feel that same sense of protectiveness for Austin. She was tough, bold, strong, capable of dealing with the seedy underbelly of modern society, and the fact she was studying Criminal Justice made her an even better choice as his number one candidate. Once his plans were made, he placed his phone in his pocket and rested his head against his chair, drifting off to sleep.


	66. Chapter 66 Bombshell

Chapter Sixty-Six-Bombshell

"Disenchantment, whether it is a minor disappointment or a major shock, is the signal that things are moving into transition in our lives."~ William Throsby Bridges

It was two months later and Spencer and Lila were enjoying a lazy Saturday evening together. Life was passing quickly for the newlyweds and the speed at which it moved amazed them both. They had just celebrated their three month anniversary and their relationship remained loving as always, if not more complicated. Lila was working hard to adjust to life as a BAU wife and at times it was a bit of a challenge. It was shellshocking to go from spending every waking moment together to spending days apart and not knowing when or if she was going to hear from him.

She knew he was hard at work, but she worried if he didn't call her until late into the evening, if at all. She also didn't like that he was distant and secretive when they did speak on the phone. She knew he was withholding certain details from her and although she understood he didn't want to alarm her, she still wanted to be a part of his world, especially since he confided so much to his bff Austin. Lila couldn't help but feel hurt and jealous of the fact that he went to see her every week after group. Lila wanted to be Spencer's main confidant, not second best to some shrew that hadn't had enough sense to realize how amazing he is and snag him when she had the chance.

Lila decided to push these negative feelings aside and focus on the present, on what she did have. At the moment, what she had was the man she loved all to herself, seemingly happy in her presence. They were lounging on the couch and her feet were resting on Spencer's lap as he meticulously painted her toenails. Usually Spencer's anal ways made Lila a little annoyed, but this time she found them adorable.

"You know, if this whole FBI thing doesn't work out, you could have a future as a nail technician," Lila teased, watching as her husband painstakingly manuvered the brush along her nail, covering it with pale pink polish.

"Painting nails with nail polish is a common practice that dates back to 3000 B.C.," Spencer said, frowning thoughtfully as he polished Lila's big toe to his liking. She sat back quietly, amused as her husband gave her more toenail trivia.

"In humans, nails grow at an average rate of 3mm a month. Fingernails require 3 to 6 monts to regrow completely, and toenails require 122 to 18 monts. Actual growth rate is dependent upon age, gender, season, exercise level, diet, and hereditary factors. Nails grow faster in the summer than in any other season and contrary to popular belief, nails do not continue to grow after death. The skin tightens, making the nails appear to grow. Furthermore..."

It was at that moment that there was a knock at the door. Spencer gently placed Lila's feet on the coffee table, with coasters underneath. Lila smiled after her germaphone husband, shaking her head as Lucky jumped onto the couch and climbed into her lap. Spencer didn't like the dog on their furniture, but Lila didn't mind. She reasoned she would let Little Spencer on the couch and since Lucky was like a daughter to her, she should be on the sofa. She gently scratched Lucky behind the ears, wondering who their mystery guest was. She hoped it wasn't work related since Spencer was away enough and these days it seemed he was more commited to the office than his home life.

As Spencer approached the door, the knocks became more and more urgent. Before he opened the door, he paused to look through the keyhole, wanting to make sure it was safe to proceed. The person standing on his doorstep didn't surprise him: the look of panic and desperation on their face, however, did give him cause for concern. He opened the door, allowing his guest to enter.

"Hey Ashley, what's going on?"

"Oh my God, is Lila home? Oh my God where is she?" Ashley demanded, pushing past him and walking down the hallway.

She looked pale, her complexion appearing as if she had seen a ghost. Her eyes, however, looked as if they had had a brawl with some hot sauce and lost. Usually bright and glimmering with mischief, they were now swollen and filled with an angst and fear that tugged at Spencer's heart strings. He caught up with her and took her hand, leading her into the living room where his wife was waiting. Despite his concern for Ashley, he was annoyed that Lila was letting Lucky onto the couch, knowing full well his feelings on the subject. At the very least she could use a coaster. Lila looked up and upon seeing Ashley, concern washed over her face. She gently placed Lucky on the opposite couch cushion and rose, walking over to her.

"Ash, honey, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this," Lila said. She had seen her sister hysterical before, but that was only when she had ingested too many drugs. This time was different, however. This time Ashley radiated a sense of panic, urgency, and dispair she had never had before and that alarmed Lila. After taking a deep breath, Ashley spoke, sharing news that rocked Lila and Spencer's world, rendering them speechless.

"I...I'm pregnant!" Ashley exclaimed, half shrieking, half sobbing as she collapsed onto the couch, narrowing missing Lucky as she burst into tears.


	67. Chapter 67 Consoling and Concealing

Chapter Sixty-Seven-Consoling and Concealing

"Family...a group experience of love and support."~ Marianne Williamson

In their respective almost thirty and twenty-nine years on this planet, Spencer and Lila had witnessed and experienced many extradinary things: some wonderful, some painful, and some that were so shockingly beyond words even Shakespeare himself would be at a loss of how to express himself. Hearing Ashley announce her pregnancy was akin to Hotch putting on a pink dress and skipping down the street-hand-in-hand with Strauss: it just defied all laws of logic, reason, decency, and the natural order of things. Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, Chucky, and both versions of The Bad Seed were wonderful movies on their own: Lila didn't think they needed to be played out in real life and had Spencer seen any of these movies he would have agreed.

"I just don't know what I'm going to do," Ashley sobbed, the tears streaming down her face as she did her best to wipe them away. "when the pregnancy test came up positive I didn't believe my eyes. I took a dozen of them and they all came back fucking positive! What am I going to do? Let's face it guys, I'm not the most responsible person in the world and my extracurricular activities are not not exactly legal. What am I going to do?"

Ashley looked at her sister and brother-in-law expectantly, hoping for some jewels of wisdom from her older, smarter, more put together family members. Instead they just gave her the usual "oh my #$%ing God/what did that #$& do now?" expression, only much more magnified. They simply stared at her, jaws gaping, each one speechless. No wait, they were actually beyond speechless. They were something that hadn't been invited yet, until that very moment.

"For the love of fucking God will one of you two fucking say something?" Ashley demanded, her eyes bloodshot and blazing. "between the two of you, you have an IQ of 315, so one of you brainy-fucking-iacs should be able to come up with a solution.

Spencer and Lila exchanged glances, giving each other a deer-in-the-headlights expression. After a few moments they both started speaking, but their speech was hardly intelligible, much less something befitting two seemingly smart people.

"Umm, I, statistics...ummm, I think...huh?" Spencer sputtered.

"I, umm...shit...oh my God...oh wow...I...huh...hmmm," Lila added, not contributing much else to the conversation.

"I...umm...tea! Yes, that's it! Tea! Lots and lots of tea!" Spencer suddenly exclaimed.

He sprinted towards the kitchen muttering something about statistics regarding tea alieviating stress, but Lila couldn't help but wonder if he was simply embellishing things so he could leave the room. As he disappeared into the kitchen, Lila turned to study her sister, an array of emotions pulsating through her body. On one hand she annoyed, even angry, with her sister for being so reckless, stupid, and irresponsbile and placing herself in this position. Ashley has been sexually active since the age of thirteen, so by this point she should know how to use contraceptions. The woman probably knew more about perscription drugs than a pharmacist and yet she was seemingly ignorant about birth control pills, or even the morning after pill.

Lila loved her sister more than anything, but she wasn't the most responsible person in the world. Her long history of drug and alcohol use were something to consider and she wasn't exactly dilligent about medical care. Her lifestyle choices and circle of friends added points to the worrying scale as well, since someone who partied as hard as Ashley didn't exactly associate with priests and quiet, elderly librarians. Her apartment building seemingly housed nothing but freaks, drug addicts, and people who were seemingly ignorant about city regulations regarding acceptable pets.

Lila didn't know if she should hug, slap, or shake her younger sister but after staring at her woebegotten expression, she decided the last thing her younger sister needed was a tongue lashing. She gently shooed Lucky off the couch and sat beside her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. Ashley rested her head on Lila's shoulder, wiping her eyes.

"How far along are you?" Lila asked gently, handing her little sister a box of tissue.

"Fourteen weeks," Ashley said, dabbing her eyes.

Lila stared at her sister's abdomen and noticed the swelling concealed underneath her white peasant top. Not only was her stomach fuller, but her breasts were more ample as well. Lila hadn't noticed the changes in her sister since she was prone to weight gain.

"How long have you known? Wait-who's the father?"

"I've known about six weeks and I have no fucking idea. I conceived around the time of your wedding, so it could be anyone-the two guys I fucked on their airplane on the way home, the bar tender, Tony, Dante, Dylan, Hank, Gerald, Andrew, Tito, Alejandro, Benjamin, Nathan, three random guys I met at the gym, some other dudes I met in the club..."

"Derek and Shemar," Lila added, feeling more than a little queasy at the never ending list of men on her sister's list of conquest. It was surreal and a little off-putting knowing her little sister's cootchy was a tourist attraction.

"I was already knocked up by the time I met Shemar, so he's off the list...and out of my life."

"Oh Ash, I'm so sorry to hear that; I know how much you cared for him. What did he say when he told you about the pregnancy?"

"At first he was in disbelief, then he proceeded to scream and call me a slut and a whore and the biggest mistake of his life. He said I am an embarassment to everyone I know and he cannot believe he wasted so much time on somehow as low-brow as me. He asked how someone as tacky and off putting as myself could have come out of such a classy state like Connecticut. He stormed out of my apartment and shortly thereafter hooked up with the girl who stood him up the night he met me. Apparently they are engaged now and plan to marry in the summertime."

"Ashley, Shemar is a loser who didn't deserve you. I understand his shock, but he didn't have the right to say those things."

"I can't fault him for speaking the truth," Ashley said with a shrug. "let's face it, Lila, I'm not exactly a paragam of chastity and virtue." She laughed without humor before continuing. "Can you believe I actually thought he would be happy for me and help me raise this child? I really cared about him and assumed he felt the same way. I thought he and I could be one big, happy family."

"You're better off without the son of a bitch," Lila said, surprising her sister with a rare usage of profanity. "you haven't mentioned the other possibility. What if the baby is Morgan's? He's a stand up guy: he would take care of you and the child."

"I'm sure Morgan would be a wonderful father, but he would never waste his time on someone like me. Like Shemar said, I'm the sort of girl men fuck, but not marry. He may have enjoyed my sexual favors and may take junior on the weekends if he is the father, but as far as happily ever after is concerned, someone like him isn't going to build a future with someone like me."

"Stop selling yourself short, Ash. You may have your...quirks, but you are still a wonderful girl and any man would be lucky to have you...and I mean that in more than just the literal sense. Does he know about the pregnancy? Have you had amniocentesis so you can compare the baby's DNA to some of the men so you can find the father?"

"Some of the men I can't locate because I don't know their full-or real-names and others have been ruled out already. I know I need to tell Morgan, but I'm scared, Lila. What if he is the father and decides I'm not fit to raise this child so he takes it away from me? How can I take care of a baby when I can hardly take care of myself? I have made so many mistakes already-before I found about the baby I drank, smoked cigarettes and copious amount of marijuana. I even did a line of coke at Amber's birthday party a month ago and we all know how wonderful coke is for a fetus. My weekend meth binge the week prior didn't exactly help matters, either. For God's sake, Lila, I was drunk when I bought the damn pregnancy tests! Emma had to help me out of the store and take me home."

"Emma knows your pregnant?" Lila asked, trying to hold back feelings of hurt that she wasn't the first person to find about her sister's pregnancy. She sometimes felt out of the loop with her sister and cousins' lives since they seemed to tell each other everything first and seemingly forget she even existed.

Ashley nodded. "I was at a party with some friends and commented on how tired I'd been feeling and how my sense of tast was kind of off kilter. Xander and Malcolm-oh yeah, I fucked them too so they could possibly be my baby daddy-commented on how much bigger my boobs looked and Xenaleigh thought my stomach looked bigger as well.

After telling them to go fuck themselves for calling me fat, I hailed a cab-did I mentioned I've fucked a couple cab drivers and the guy at the subway station?-to the pharmacy and ran into Emma at the checkout counter. She was filling her migrane prescription and let's just say the sight of me holding a basket full of home pregnancy tests was quite a shock to her. We went back to my place and she waited with me while I waited for the results. She even had Stella come over to wait with us and offer support."

Ashley looked into her sister's eyes and Lila saw a naked fear that she had never seen before. All her life Ashley had managed to avoid the consequences of her actions and now she was being faced with a life-altering situation that could potentially destroy her. This pregnancy was like the Titanic and Lila was just waiting for her sister's ship to slam into the iceberg. She had always managed to avoid them in the past, but this time her sister had been brought to her knees and didn't know how-or if-she could stand up again.

"Lila...I...I'm scared. I...I have made so many stupid choices with my life and those decisions could possibly hurt my baby. After all the stupid shit I have done-I've been a drugged out, binge drinking whore for most of my twenty-three-and-three-quarters-years on this planet and I just don't know how this baby will make it through unscathed. You know how prolife I am, but I have to admit that...you know, it did cross my mind. Lila, I've really fucked up big time now and I don't know what to do!"

Ashley lowered her face into her hands, sobs once again wrenching from her body as she kept repeating "I don't know what to do." Lila hugged her sister tightly, gently stroking her hair as she continued speaking.

"First of all, Ashley, we are going to continue down your list of men and test as many of them as we can find. After that, we'll talk to Harry and Debra and they'll help you through this. They've helped you so much in the past that I cannot imagine them turning their backs on you now. No matter what happens, Ash, your family loves you and we will be there supporting you every step of the way. Ashley, you are not alone."

As Ashley wept on her sister's shoulder, Spencer was engaged in a little conversation of his own. While he was in the kitchen preparing tea, and thinking of ways to avoid going back into the living room, Austin called his cellphone. The two of them started talking and Spencer was telling her about his latest cases and group sessions, things he deemed too dark to share with his wife.

For her part, Austin told him about work and school and how well things were going. When she suggested he come to her house for a drink, Spencer readily agreed figuring Ashley would want to be alone with her sister anyway. After turning off the stove and setting the teapot on an oven mitt, he placed his wallet and cellphone into his pocket before grabbing his keys and walking out the door, locking it securely behind him.


	68. Chapter 68 Family Meeting

Chapter Sixty-Eight-Family Meeting

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and let it come in."~ Morrie Schwartz

It was a few days later and Lila, Emma, Stella, and Ashley were in the living room of Lila's house, catching up with each other's lives and tackling the newest dramas that infiltrated into their family. It had been weeks since Lila had seen her cousins and she was as delighted to see them as always, although she wished she saw more of them. Before hooking up with Spencer, it had been months since she had last seen them. As usual, the Graham sisters were glowing, radiating happiness and good health, although Lila noticed an extra glimmer in their eyes. Lila didn't need to be an expert profiler to deduce that their happiness was somehow related to two very special members of a very special unit of the FBI.

Speaking of special FBI agents, Lila hadn't seen or spoken to her special agent since Ashley's fetal bombshell. He had snuck out of the house-most likely to see that whore he called a friend-and ended up getting called on a case while he was out. The team ended up going to San Diego to hunt down a child preditor and Lila had no idea how the case was going or when they were coming home. Lila hated being shut out of her husband's life and only receiving partial inclusion from her cousins wasn't helping her already very fragile ego.

"Okay, are you *sure* that's everyone you slept with between June 18th and June 25?" Emma asked, her pen pressed against notebook paper. In an attempt to identify her baby-daddy, Ashley had enlisted Emma's help in listing all of her men and creating columns for who had been ruled out, and who remained on the list. So far both lists were so long it didn't really matter which side had more names. Emma felt that after Ashley contacted all these men, her next phone call should be to her physican or the CDC.

"I...I think so," Ashley said, her brow furrowed together in deep concentration as Stella returned to the room with a tray of herbal tea and finger foods. The three ladies thanked her and took their tea cups, but left the food while they tried to unravel the mess that was Ashley's life. Stella plopped down on the couch and helped herself to a shortbread cookie, taking a bite in between sips of tea.

"Wait a minute, how about Bill?" Ashley said, her eyes lighting up as she suddenly remembered another child support contender.

"Which Bill?" Emma asked. "bar tender Bill, meat counter Bill, bouncer Bill..."

"Buffaloo Bill?" Stella quipped.

"Hafuckingha," Ashley mumbled, flipping her off as she took a drink from her own cup, a cup that given her history should be burned and/or exorcized after her usage.

"I meant Bill Davis, the guy in my pilates class. We hooked up a few times," Ashley explained.

"Bill Davis...wait, is he the really tall guy, about 6'4 with black hair and green eyes? The one you said could bench press all of Manhattan with his, quote, 'rock hard ass'?" Emma asked.

"Yeah," Ashley said, feeling encouraged by her honorary cousin's kickass memory.

"You never actually had sexual intercourse with him, though, remember? You just gave him a blow job behind the dumpster at Sonic when you went out to dinner after the movies," Stella interjected.

Emma and Lila raised their eyebrows at Ashley, but she simply shrugged, stating, "It's not like I did all the work and got nothing in return. He ate my pussy afterwards."

"Of course he did," Stella muttered, forgoing the tea and walking over to Lila's bar so she could fix herself a scotch.

"There's also Cody, another guy from my gym. We ended up fucking in the locker room after our session with the trainer and as usual, condoms were not in the equation."

"Who ever said exercise can't be fun?" Stella said, taking a long, lingering sip of her scotch, ignoring the looks on her sister and cousin's faces, since she was drinking hard liquor and it wasn't even lunchtime.

"Umm, do you *always* drink scotch at ten o'clock in the morning?" Lila asked, eyebrow raised.

"Hey, it's five o'clock somewhere, baby," Stella replied, dunking another cookie in her drink before taking a bite.

"A little birdie told me that a certain FBI agent also loves his scotch and he too drinks it at all hours of the day and night," Emma said, giving Lila a little wink.

"Tell your birdie to mind its own goddamn business or it will become the newest chew toy for that FBI agent's dog," Stella said wryly, getting up to fix another drink. After a brief moment of pondering, she simply decided to bring the bottle of scotch with her to the table. She sat back down and the conversation continued.

"I cannot believe you are fucking some guy old to be your daddy," Ashley said. "I may be havin baby-daddy issues, but your man *could* be your daddy. I mean, when a guy's cock gets a senior discount while buying condoms, it is just too old for under thirty pussy. I mean really, your dad is great, so why do you need a new daddy?"

"I admit that my man may be more advanced than I in regards to age, but trust me when I say what we have is ageless," Stella replied, turning to her younger, more prudish sister.

"So tell me sis, how goes *your* older gentleman's cock?"

"Strictly off limits," Emma replied, turning the topic back to the situation at hand. The truth was that she and Aaron had yet to consummate their relationship, but she didn't think certain members of the group needed to know this tidbit of information.

"So Ashley, have you even told Derek about the baby? Has been tested for paternity...and other things?"

"No, I haven't told him yet," Ashley replied. "to be perfectly honest, the prospect scares the hell out of me. He's a good guy and there is no way he would want to be stuck with me. I think it's best that I leave everything the way it's always been so he can move on with his life."

The sadness in her voice was so unexpected from vulgar, hard-as-nails Ashley, since vulnerability wasn't usually her strong suit. As she rested her head in her hands, Emma rested a hand on her back.

"Ashley, if this child is indeed Derek's he has a right to know. He lost his father at an early age, so there is no way he would want his child growing up fatherless. Just give it a chance, Ashley. Derek is a good guy and he may surprise you. He's certainly better than Blowjob-Bill."

Before Ashley could respond, there was a knock on the door. The four women exchanged glances before Emma finally exited the room to identity their new visitor. She returned moments later with a very tall, very sexy, very...Derek Morgan. He nodded at Emma, Stella, and Lila before turning his attention on the woman he drove directly from work to see. He carefully studied Ashley, his eyes slowly absorbing every curve, confirming what Spencer had already told him. He walked over to Ashley, who was expecting some sort of altercation. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and held her close, enveloping her into a long, comforting embrace.

"Mama, why didn't you tell me?" he whispered in her ear.

"I...I was afraid. I know what you and the rest of the world think of me and I didn't want to drag you into this. With my history there is no way to be sure you are this child's father and even if you were, being linked to me in anyway wouldn't exactly bode well for your reputation and career. How would it look for a member of one of the most elite units of the FBI to have an illegitimate, possibly drug addicted and impaired child with a well known drug abuser and alcoholic? For God's sake, Derek, I partied and binged non stop until I found out I was pregnant, so it isn't a stretch to assume that this child will have problems. Why would you want to get involved with something like that?"

"Ashley, regardless of the choices you have made in your life, you are still a very worthwhile, intelligent, vivacious woman. Believe me when I say I have never, nor will I ever, met anyone like you. You have a soft vulnerability that you don't let others see because you are afraid of getting hurt and rejected. You started drinking, doing drugs, and engaging in illicit, dangerous sexual encounters due to low self esteem and as a way of keeping more worthwhile people at bay. I'm here to tell you that you *are* worthwhile and I *do* want to be here for you, no matter what the results of the paternity test."

"But Derek, you could have anyone you want. You could meet a nice, normal woman and have a nice, normal family with her."

"I don't want normal, Ashley. I want you."

Derek and Ashley embraced again and the other ladies quietly sat on the couch. After a while, they sat down as well and Lila was the one to break the silence.

"Derek, how long have you been back?"

"I hopped in my car and drove over as soon as the jet touched ground. Why?" Morgan asked. Suddenly, he realized what Lila was really asking and immediately began damage control for his friend. His very stupid, foolish, insensitive friend.

"Reid just had some paperwork to catch up on before leaving the office," Morgan offered feably, although everyone knew he was being less than honest.

"I see," Lila said, forcing a smile as she played with her engagement ring.

"Lila, believe me when I say that Spencer loves you more than anything in the world. The only reason he shuts you out of his professional life is to protect you. He doesn't want to scare you with the horror we encounter on a daily basis. He might be going about things the wrong way, but his motives aer pure," Morgan said, his arm protectively around Ashley.

"But I am his _wife_, Morgan, and_ I _should be the one he turns to for comfort and advice, not that scheming, whoring bar wench. She is after my man and he is too stupid to see it."

"Lila, Austin could climb onto his desk naked covered in oil and gyrate in his face and he would be too busy daydreaming of you to notice. He's crazy about you."

"But he's driving me crazy by not sharing his life-his entire life-with me. I'm sure Aaron and Dave discuss their cases with the two of you," Lila said, looking at her cousins.

"Aaron has discussed his cases with me, but you have to remember that I am an investigative journalist. In addition to my co-anchor position on the news, I have my own crime investgation show and work with extensively with Freedom Fights," Emma said, referring to the pro bono agency that defended inmates unjustly put behind bars. Since their launch ten years ago, they had freed hundreds of innocent people and helped catch the real criminals.

"I see much of the same things as Aaron, so he doesn't feel the need to protect me the way Spencer does with you. Perhaps if I was in a different he would think differently," Emma added, trying to be kind.

"What about you, Stella? Does Dave discuss his cases with you?" Lila asked.

"He has, but mostly the older to whom he references in his books. In fact, he asking me to go over some of his files in preparation for another book he plans to write," Stella said. The truth was, Stella was emensely curious about David's work and he was all too happy to answer her questions and talk about his past and present glories. She just didn't want to hurt her cousins feelings by confirming that Spencer was the only hold out in the detail department.

Lila eyes her cousins with suspicion, knowing they were being less than honest with her, especially Stella. The Graham sisters were the most inquisitive, curious, and downright nosey people Lila had ever met so she knew they picked their beaus brains any chance they got. In order to avoid an arguement, she changed the subject.

"So when are you going to tell Debra and Harry about the pregnancy?" she asked.

"We could visit them this weekend and break the news over dinner," Emma suggested. "Ashley visits them all the time and they would love to see you. When I was having brunch at their house last weekend, they mentioned how much they would love to see you again."

"Deb called me the other day and mentioned she would love to have all of us at her house for dinner sometime," Stella added. "so when Ashley calls them it won't sound at all peculiar if she asks if we can all come over."

"Or better yet, Lila, you could have them over here," Stella said to Lila. "they haven't seen the house yet, so it might help to break the news in more neutral territory. We can help you get everything ready and who knows, it might be fun."

"Splendid," Lila said, her tone emotionless as plans were made around her.

As Emma, Stella, Ashley, and Morgan discussed menu options, centerpieces, and whether Ashley should break the news during dinner or after coffee, all Lila could think about was how once again, she was being shut out and how once again, Spencer was choosing to not be with her, sharing his life and supporting her in hers.


	69. Chapter 69Dinner with the Archers

Chapter Sixty-Nine-Dinner with the Archers

"Two households, both alike in dignity...from ancient grudge break to new mutiny...which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."~Excerpts from the prologue of Romeo & Juliet~William Shakespeare

It was Saturday evening and two vastly different families were sharing what promised to be one of the most important meals in their shared history. Each family was well known, some members more notorious than others, yet each possessing respect, power, wealth, and authority. The differences between these two were overshadowed by one common denominator, one common thread that forever bound them together.

The families in question were the Archers and the BAU. Although the Archers were a staple on American soil before America, much less the BAU, was originated, and the fact that the BAU possessed even more power and resources, they were bound together because of certain special people on both sides. Tonight, they were gathering to discuss the pairing of another couple, and the consequences of their unification. Lila looked around the table, wondering how the evening was going to turn out. Harry and Debra, especially Harry, were so permissive with Ashley and it seemed nothing she did ever warrented any real consequences or true anger.

The pattern in the Archer family was firming established: Ashley would do something crazy/illegal/dangerous/stupid and her parents would yell without any real punishment or reprimand given. Debra would sometimes try to discipline her daughter, but Harry was such a pushover for his youngest daughter that anything Debra tried to do was meaningless. All Ashley had to do was bat her pretty little eyelashes and turn on the waterworks and Harry, and his wallet/legal expertise, were putty in her hands.

Speaking of Ashley, she looked lovely, if not nervous, in a dark blue dress, cut carefully to conceal her ever-expanding baby bump. Ever since their meeting a few days ago, it seemed as if she had doubled, no, quadrupled in size. Ashley had a tendency to over-indulge in the food department when under stress and this time of her life was certainly no exception. Earlier that day she downed three dozen donuts, a keylime pie, two meatlover's pizzas, two blts, a big mac, three large fries, two philly cheesesteaks, and two banana splits. How she was able to make room for her apricot chicken was anyone's guess, but she was already on her second plate. The only thing keeping her from inhaling the tablecloth was Derek, who was resting a comforting hand on her leg.

As for Derek, he had been confirmed as the child's father through dna testing a few days ago. It was such a relief for everyone involved to not only know who fathered Ashley's child, but to know it was a man of great integrity, someone who put people behind bars as opposed to doing stints behind them. The fact that Derek wasn't married, didn't abuse drugs, and actually had an education and gainful employment was too good to be true, given Ashley's somewhat questionable history with men. Ashley looked over at him and gave him a nervous smile, relieved she would have his strength to draw on this evening, if she needed it. She had always been a daddy's girl, so she was banking on her tightknit relationship with her father to make everything run smoothly.

Emma and Stella were in attendance, as was expected since neither woman could ever truly escape Archer family drama, no matter how hard they tried. Accompanying them them were their steadfast beaus Hotch and Dave, who looked classically sexy in dark suits. The two sisters were whispering amongst themselves while the men confired with each other. Lila tore her eyes away from them, forcing herself to look at the guests of honor, the only two people who didn't know the real reason for this gathering tonight.

Harry and Debra seemed happy and oblivious as always, talking happily with each other and expressing delight in a childfree evening. Anthony and Hayden were being looked after by their nanny and as much as Lila wanted to see them, she was sort of relieved they weren't here. She had a feeling that tonight was going to be intense and the last thing she wanted was for the boys to be subjected to any ensuing drama.

Lila looked over at Spencer, giving him a nervous smile. She was sitting at one end of the table and he was directly across from her. Although the seating arrangement was done for etiquette reasons, their places at the table seemed to symbolize the state of their relationship. As much as Lila hated to have these thoughts, she was having serious doubts about her husband's love, loyalty and sense of priorities. The night Ashley revealed her pregnancy, Spencer didn't come home until about two o'clock the night morning.

To his credit, he didn't do what most men which, which is become defensive and lie. He admitted that after finishing his paperwork, he went to the bar to have dinner and drinks with Austin. He didn't understand why it was such a big deal for him to go see a friend after work when she was the only friend he had in the city, aside from his colleagues at the BAU. For being a genius, her husband was getting denser and denser with regard to appropriate behavior towards one's wife, not to mention with women in general. Why he couldn't figure out that Austin was a lying, scheming, evil, conniving, no good piece of trailor trash with a bad dye job was beyond Lila. All she knew was she didn't like the change in her husband's behavior, and yet she was too afraid of losing him completely to truly speak her mind.

Spencer smiled back at his wife, sensing her sadness, but not knowing how to rectify the situation. On one hand he knew it hurt her feelings that he didn't share his work life with her, but on the other he didn't know how to bring himself to share such dark, disturbing tales with her. He didn't know if he was simply getting more sensitive with age, but the Unsubs were getting much worse of late. Some of the criminals they had captured years ago were beginning to look like Santa Claus in comparison to some of the individuals he had come across lately. And to make matters worse, it was getting to the point that it was becoming increasingly more difficult for Spencer to tell the difference between the "victims" and their assailents.

It was such a relief for Spencer to have Austin to confide in since not only was she studying Criminal Justice with aspirations of joining the FBI, but Spencer didn't feel the need to protect her the way he did Lila. His sweet, beautiful wife had been through enough and the last thing he wanted was to contaminate her new life with more darkness. If his wife's annoyance was the price he had to pay for her piece of mind, he was willing to pay that price. Lila held his gaze for only a moment before bowing her head to take a bite of chicken. Shortly after Spencer went back to work she began taking cooking classes and the fruits of her labor were sporadic. Tonight's fare was a tad dry, but edible, and the apricot glaze did a decent job of masking the fact that she should have taken the chicken out of the oven about ten minutes earlier. As she chewed, Harry spoke, snapping her back into reality and reminding her why everyone was there in the first place.

"Lila, this meal is delicious and your home is lovely. Deb and I are so happy to be here," Harry said, looking at his wife with affection.

"We certainly are," Debra agreed, smiling back at her husband. "we will have to bring the boys the next time we visit. They miss you and often ask when they can see the two of you again," she said, gesturing to Lila and Spencer.

Debra was seven and a half months into her pregnancy and looking absolutely radiant. Her caramel colored skin radiated that special glow only pregnant women seen to eluminate. She was wearing a burgondey colored empire waisted dress with a jeweled belt, which concealed the size of her belly, while still putting it on loving display. She wore her hair down and soft against her shoulders, looking much younger than her close to fifty years.

"We miss the boys too and would love to see them as soon as you can make the necessary arragements," Spencer relied.

"I'm glad to hear you say that, Spencer, because the boys wanted a rematch," Debra joked, referring to the light saber fight they had in the toy store.

Everyone laughed and pleasant conversation ensued, with Aaron politely inquiring about Debra's pregnancy and Emma asking if any names had been decided upon. Debra replied that nothing was set in stone yet, but Ryan, Wyatt, Wiley, Owen, Garrison, and Jackson were the top contenders. Harry asked the BAU possee about their jobs and families and praise was heaped on Lila for her emaculate home and delicious food. Inquiries were made about the nursery and any names the newlyweds had in mind for their child.

"Spencer and I don't have anything decided on either," Lila replied, thinking that was mostly because her dear sweet husband would rather converse with his whore than pick babynames with his wife. "but I'm leaning towards Riley, Ian, Ethan, Zachary, Michael, and Charles."

"Charles?" Spencer asked, raising an eyebrow. The choice of names his wife listed came as a surprise to him, mostly because she hadn't run most of those names pat him. Until now the only name she cared to hear about was Spencer Jr, which Spencer did not particulary care for.

"Charles or Charlie," Lila replied, a twinkle in her eye. "it's a German and English name that means "strong and manly" and I like the idea of incorporiating my ethnicity into my son's name. Owen is also on my list, even though I'm not Irish. I just think it's cute and I love that it means 'strong warrior'. I'm also considering Preston, after my grandpa."

"Lila, I'm not sure if I want to have a son named Charlie," Spencer replied, this thoughts turning immediately to Charles Henkel, the father and one of the personalities of the Unsub who tortured and drugs him, resulting in his own drug addiction.

Lila's eyes narrowed and Emma interjected, hoping to prevent an argument. "Spencer, what sort of names do you like?"

Spencer thought for a moment before replying: "Kaitlyn, Grace, Victoria, Elizabeth, Natalie, Maria, Alexandra, Alexis, or Sophie."

"Kaitlyn, as in the girl my ex-boyfriend started dating the week he broke up with me?" Lila asked, eyebrows raised.

"Grace is nice, but doesn't mesh well with your last name," Stella replied. "if a surname has only one syllable, the first name should have at least two syllables."

"Grace is my mother's middle name," Spencer said coldly. "besides, if Charles is a serious contender, then Grace can be considered as well."

"Yes, but Charles is different," Stella argued. "besides, we can always call him Charlie. Charlie Reid."

"I'm not sure I like the way that sounds," Emma replied. "no offense, Lila, but I'm not sure I like Riley paired with Reid. Don't get me wrong, Riley is a nice name, I just don't think Riley Reid...flows well together."

"I like Riley better than Maria. I cannot *stand* the name Maria," Stella replied, her firm tone and dislike of such a lovely name taking Emma by surprise.

"What wrong with Maria? Maria is a perfectly fine name," Emma replied.

"Maria is a whore's name," Stella said, earning an amused smile from Dave. Maria was his third wife's name who cheated on him for most of their marriage, with her divorce lawyer on her list of conquests. To add insult to injury, the lawyer's name was also named Dave and Rossi had the privilege of paying for their time together. Maria and lawyer Dave married not long after the divorce was finalized, but only lasted for five years. She ended up leaving him for another lawyer, but this time his name was Dave. It was Davis.

"Well, if everyone is so insistent on naming my baby after a whore we could always name it..." Lila began, with everyone knowing perfectly well what name she was thinking about.

Spencer gave her a warning glare, but Lila simple shrugged her shoulders. "What? On the plus side it's unisex, so we could once and for all set aside our feud regarding the baby's gender."

"If Kaitlyn, Maria, and Grace are out the question, then so is Charles. I don't like the idea of naming my son after an Unsub who tortured and tried to kill me," Spencer said coldly.

"Technically Tobias was the one doing all those things, not Charles," Lila pointed out. "it may have been Charles's personna coming from Tobias's subconscious, but the actions themselves were conducted by Tobias. Besides, I'm not naming my baby after an Unsub. Charles is my paternal great grandfather's name. He built the home in which Grandmother and Grandfather resided until their deaths and he was an extremely kind, generous man.

Not only did he donate vast amounts of time and money to the less fortunate, but he was also a war hero. After graduating college, he served in the navy for thirty years, fighting in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He could have easily sat on his duff, spending money and chasing women, but he didn't. He defended our country and helped to make it a safer place. Are you telling me you would disregard that legacy in favor of some drug addicted loser?"

Before Spencer could respond, Emma said, "If a family name is what you're after, what about Hayden? Not only is it your great-grandfather's middle name, but it is also shared by his father, your grandfather, your father, and brother Anthony. I think it would be a lovely tribute to your family to continue that legacy."

"Why must Lila's family be the only one that is acknowledged?" Spencer asked. "if we must have a son, Daniel is a fine option. That was my uncle's name and while he might not be a war hero or millionaire, he was still a fine, honorable man."

"I like Daniel," Emma said neutrally, trying her best to prevent an arguement between him and Lila, especially since the real drama of the evening hadn't even started.

There was an uneasy tension in the air and everyone fell silent. Emma and Stella looked around the room, each hoping the evening would come to an end soon. As Emma was praying for a fire, Stella was wondering where a good home invasion was when you needed one. As they both fantasized about fires, floods, lotcus, or even the Swine Flu, something even more dramatic happened. Harry turned his attention to Ashley, who was in whispered conversation with Morgan.

"Penny for your thoughts, Ashy?" he said. "I think the last time you were this quiet you were still in utero."

"Is everything alright, dear?" Debra asked, looking at her oldest daughter with concern. "usually you are the life of the party, but tonight you've hardly spoken to anyone. What's going on?"

Ashley looked at Derek, who gave her an encouraging nod. She took a deep breath and while gripping the tablecloth with one hand and Derek's hand with the other, she made the announcement that brought everyone into this newly uncomfortable environment in the first place.

"Mom, Daddy...I...I'm pregnant," Ashley said, waiting ernestly for their reactions.


	70. Chapter 70 Alliances Made: Bonds Severed

Chapter Seventy-Alliances Made: Bonds Severed

"Anger always comes from frustrated expectations."~ Elliott Larson

Ashley looked into her parents' eyes, waiting patiently for their reactions. She knew this would come as quite a shock for them, since she wasn't exactly the most responsible or mature person in the world when it came to her personal life. Although she wasn't expecting a parade, their reactions did take her a bit by surprise. Her mother burst into tears, burying her face into her hands as sobs wracked her body. Disappointed, anger, fear, and disgust pulsated through her body, at a loss for what to think or do.

As much as she loved her daughter, the idea of her bringing an innocent child into her dysfunctional life made her physically ill. Her daughter was many wonderful things, but mother material wasn't one of them. Debra snuck a glance at her husband, wanting to gage his reaction. Harry's face was extremely pale, looking as if all the life had been sucked from his body. He sat quietly, motionlessly, as if uninterrupted silence was the only way for him to truly process what had been said to him. After a few minutes had gone by and he hadn't yet said a word, Ashley spoke.

"Daddy, I know this is quite a surprise, but I really think with your love and support this situation could work," Ashley began.

"'A surprise?" Harry said coldly, his pale blue eyes casting an expression so hard, so cold that Ashley was taken aback. She had done many crazy things in her lifetime, but never had she been the recipient of that look. "you have unprotected sex with lord knows who, conceive an innocent child and consider bringing that child into your...your...lifestyle...and all you can say is "oh wow, this is such a surprise, kind of like an unexpected birthday party...that has the potential to spread disease and ruin lives! Do you honestly believe that your lifestyle of carousing, smoking, snorting, fucking, and general hell raising is condusive to rearing a healthy, well adjusted child, or do you even care about your child's well being?

No, wait, let me guess, knowing you, you'll probably use this child as your pimp or drug fetcher when you are too hung over or passed out to visit your various dealers. Out of all the thoughts that were able to fit through all the rocks in your head, I cannot believe the one where you think you are mother material was the one! Oh my God, Ashley, what is *wrong* with you?" he roared, his once pale face now crimson with rage, the vein in the middle of his forehead threatening to burst at any minute.

"Harry, please, get a hold of yourself! Yelling isn't going to make this situation any better," Debra pleaded as Ashley looked at her father with shock and pain. She hadn't expected him to throw a parade, but accusing her of not caring about her baby was a bit much.

"Ashley, honey, how far along are you?" Debra asked. "perhaps you could make an appointment with your physician to make it...go away?" she suggested, sounding hopeful that her daughter would listen to her advice.

"I'm fourteen weeks pregnant Mom, but I would never abort my child, even if that option was still available. Killing an innocent child is a sin against God, humanity, and a child should never pay the price for its parents mistakes," Ashley said, resting her hands protectively on her abdomen.

"Oh yes, that's right, use religion when it's convienient for you," Harry said, the disgust obvious in his voice. "it's all fine and good to follow God when he supports your agenda, but *where* in the Bible does it condone promiscuity, drug use, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and any of the other ridiculous things you do?"

"Technically, Mr. Archer, according to the New Testiment, the Virgin Mary wasn't married to Joseph when she became pregnant with Jesus. In fact, Joseph was doubtful of her claims and was considering ending their betrothal when God came to him and told him to have faith in Mary," Spencer said.

"Spencer, please don't tell me you see *any* similiarities between Ashley and the Blessed Mother," Harry said, looking at Spencer as if he had jsut sprouted a second head. "the Virgin Mary was a young, teenage girl doing the Lord's will. Ashley is just a whore who thinks of no one but herself."

"Mr. Archer, I understand you are in shock and this a lot to take in, but speaking to Ashley in this fashion is not a solution. Upsetting her isn't going to help anyone," Morgan replied, resting a supportive hand on her leg.

"Besides, Lila got pregnant out of wedlock and you posed no objections to her situation," Stella pointed out. "in fact, I think you and Debra have been closer to her in these past few months than you've ever been."

Emma and Dave silently cringed as Harry turned his fury onto the oldest Graham sister. "Stella, are you partaking in illicit drug use as well? How much would one have to snort or smoke to compare Ashley to Lila with a straight face? Have you even *met* those two? Really, how can any sober individual with functioning braincells see any similiarity between those two?"

With his fury now unstoppable, Harry continued. "*Lila* doesn't abuse drugs or alcohol. *Lila* doesn't throw her name and connections around to get out of trouble or her own way. *Lila* didn't streak through my Christmas party last year clutching two bottles of champagne shouting sexual innuendos regarding Santa Claus and his reindeer. Do you have *any* idea how *humiliating* that was for me?

That little stunt cost me the respect of some of my peers and I could have lost clients because of it! In fact, I *have* lost clients because of my seeming inability to keep my daughter under control. Who the fuck wants to entrust their future to an attorney who cannot even ake his own *daughter* behave? And furthermore, *Lila* is mature, increasingly more and more emotionally stable everyday...AND SHE'S *MARRIED*!" he screamed, slamming his fists onto the table, causing everyone to jump back.

"Oh my God, Ashley, who is the father?" Debra asked, feeling sick to her stomach.

"Do you really think she knows that?" Harry screamed before anyone actually had the opportunity to answer that question. He gestured to his woebegotten daughter as he continued his rant, obvious too rage-ridden to notice or care that his self professed "Daddy's Girl" looked completely crestfallen, as if her heart had been ripped from her chest and set on fire.

"Even if she was ever able to determine this child's paternity, what difference would it make? Do you even remember the men with whom she has...socialized? Who do you think is the better option for father of the year? No, please, I insist, you get to pick the best baby daddy candidate from the following catagories: the married ones, the convicts, conjigal visits, which are different from mere felons since these particular gentlemen have yet to be released back into society, the druggies, pimps, bar cronies, or better yet, that delightful punk, Dylan, who lives in her building.

Remember him? The delightful young man with the colorful, upright hair-do, pants down to his knees although he wears at least a couple of belts, and thinks rising at two o'clock in the afternoon is starting his day early? When he's not keeping his neighbors awake with his "music" or stealing money out of till from the petshop that for some reason keeps him on their payroll, he supplimenting his income by providing our daughter with drugs? Well, I guess we can look on the brightside: at least Ashley's baby will never have to suffer the affects of withdrawl with that young man as a father."

Harry shook his head as his monologue thankfully dwindled down. "I think the fact that he chose to associate with Ashley os all we need to know about this individual. This is great, Lila's baby can grow up to arrest Ashley's baby. This is great, just fucking great."

As Ashley buried her face into her hands and sobbed, Morgan stood and stared his nose down at Harry. The amount of disgust he felt towards this man for unleashing such venom on his daughter at a time when she needed him most was unmeasurable.

"As it happens, Mr. Archer, *I* am the father of Ashley's child and I fully support her desire to have this baby," he said, resting his hands on her shoulders, wanting to give her encouragement, but also keeping them occupied so he wouldn't strangle Harry.

"I understand that Ashley has problems that need addressing, but I stand behind her one hundred percent and fully support her efforts to stay clean and be the best mother possible."

Ashley cracked a small smile at Derek, but Harry and Debra just stared at him, their mouths agape. Debra opened her mouth to speak, but Harry beat her to it.

"What is wrong with you?" Harry asked Derek, who met Harry's gaze with an incensed one of his own. This little pissant in a suit didn't come anywhere close to intimidating Derek.

"Derek, you are an intelligent, accomplished, sensible young man with an incredible future ahead of you. Why on earth would you put all of that in jeopardy for Ashley? Don't you remember the way she acted at Lila's wedding and how repelled Agent Strauss was by her behavior. Associating with someone of Ashley's ilk could severely curttail or destroy your career."

"Good God, Derek, have you been tested? Why didn't you use a condom?" Debra demanded.

Both men ignored Debra's comments and Harry continued speaking. "If you are staying with her just for the baby's sake, that isn't necessary. With your exemplary reputation, any judge in this country would gladly grant you custody. If finances are of concern, Debra and I will gladly provide the resources for an excellent child custody lawyer. We will even pay for a nanny when you are out of town on cases and I am certain Lila will help care for the child."

Ashley looked at her father, wide eyed with shock and fear, stunned that not only did he think so little of her, but that he would actually assist Derek in taking her child if that was what Derek wanted. She looked at Derek and when she saw the digust on his face, that did help calm her nerves, somewhat.

"Harry, I have worked in law enforcement for many years and have seen things no one else in the world should have to see, but I can honestly say I have never been more disgusted than I am at this very moment. How *dare* you turn on Ashley like this, when she needs you the most. Being a father, being a *man* means supporting and guiding their children when they need you most. Perhaps if you had done more of that Ashley wouldn't have so many issues *to* deal with."

"How *dare* you blame me for Ashley's behavior! She is an adult, fully capable of making her own decisions. She is the one who drinks, smokes, takes drugs, an engages in illicit sexual activity, not I," Harry said hotly. "I should think that a man of your standing would appreciate people taking responsibility for their own actions, as opposed to making excuses for them."

"Yes Harry, I do believe people are responsible for making their own decisions, but I also believe that it is a parents' responsibility-duty-to guide, teach, and *properly* discipline their children so they have the tools to make sound decisions when they are older. From the moment Ashley was born you over-indulged her, giving into everyone of her whims in an attempt to allieviate the guilt your felt for abandoning Lila into the care of an abusive, psychotic mother.

Yes, Ashley should make better decisions, but how can she when you never gave her the tools to do so? Not only were you unwilling or unable to give her structure, but you also couldn't find the right people to do so either. You sent her to the same rehab facility four times-the very one where she was bribed by a twenty year old aid into having sexual relations with the promise of drugs if she complies. Not only do you not press charges against this individual, but you send her back a second time, which was when she was exposed to Heiroine for the first time.

Ashley may not always make the best decisions in life, but considering the lack of direction she received I'm amazed she didn't turn out worse. You and Debra are sitting her criticizing her mothering abilities when the two of you haven't exactly proved yourselves to be parents-of-the-year. Considering the way you've treated your daughters, I shudder to think how your sons will turn out."

"How *dare* you speak to my husband in such a rude fashion!" Debra exclaimed, looking at him incredulously. "Harry and I did our best with Ashley, but she was more than we could handle. And as for Lila, I shouldn't be held responsible for her upbringing since technically she isn't my daughter. For better or worse she has her own mother."

"Oh yes, that's right, the wonderful, saintly Arabella," Lila said, joining the conversation since she was no longer going to sit back and let her sister be torn to shreds in her own home. Truth be told she would have said something sooner, but Morgan beat her to it and he was doing such a wonderful job she didn't want to interrupt.

Harry glared at her as she continued speaking, but Lila was too incensed to care. "the wonderful, kindly woman who used to blatently favor my twin sister over me, and then held responsible when that twin passed away. The doting, kindly soul who forced into an activity I hated, encouraged my eating disorder, beat me, starved me, locked me in the closet for long periods of time just for kicks, isolated me from family unless she needed to let me around them so as to procure funds for herself, told me I was worthless, disgusting, an embarassment to my family, and that the only reason she had me was to trap you into marriage.

She would tell me I ruined her life and wished I was dead. When I was twelve, she put a kitchen knife in my hands and said 'go ahead and do it. No one loves you, no one cares about you. The world would be a much better place if you were not in it. And when I did cut myself, she just sat there and watched with a smile on her face! On other occassions she would leave bottles of prescription drugs in my room and when she discovered I hadn't ODed, she would simply shake her head and say 'how unfortunate. Better luck next time. or 'are you so lazy that you cannot be bothered to kill yourself?"

A lump formed in Lila's throat, but she continued. "when she would disappear on her mystery trips, she would instruct the servants to lock me in a closet and only release me per her request, which wasn't very often. She murdered my dog and took pictures to celebrate the event. As I sobbed hysterically, she just laughed and waved them in my face! And all the while, you could have rescued me at any time, but chose not to because you couldn't be bothered! You..."

"I didn't go against your mother because I was terrified of her!" Harry interjected. "I had Debra and Ashley to consider and I was afraid Arabella would hurt them if I went against her."

"So instead you decided to sacrifice your older, expendable daughter," Lila said, looking at Harry with disgust. "I was living in Hell and you were too busy thinking about yourself to care. On her worst day, Ashley would be a better parent than you on your best day. All my life I used to crave your love and support, but now I'm glad all you gave me was DNA. I would hate to have any characteristics or sensibilities coming from you. You, Henry, are a low-life, self-serving, selfish, worthless excuse of a man. You may be a brilliant lawyer, you are a terrible, lackluster, weak willed father who only shows interest in his offspring when it is most convenient."

"As for you Debra," Lila said, her blue eyes now blackened with rage as she went in for the metaphorical, not literal, kill. "I'm glad you are not my mother because I would hate to be your daughter! When your head isn't up my father's ass, you only care about your own endevours. You pay other people to raise your children so you won't have to be bothered. I don't know why the hell you're having a fouth child when you are so disinterested in your other three."

"You...you impertinent little brat! How dare you say those things to my wife!" Harry exclaimed. "Debra did her best with you, but you pushed her away and wouldn't give her the time of day. You call *us* weak-willed, but you seem to glorify in being the victim. You will share the horrors of your childhood with anyone who will listen to garner sympathy. These things happened years ago and yet you still go on about them as if they happened yesterday. It's time to put the past to rest and get your head out of your ass."

Lila's face was red with rage and as she opened her mouth to speak, Harry turned to Emma, who was trying to remain as quiet and invisable as possible. "Don't you think Lila and Ashley are acting horribly? Don't you think Ashley having a child is a terrible mistake and that Lila is a fool to support her?"

As much as Emma disliked confrontation, now that she was pulled into the conversation she felt the need to speak honestly and directly. "Actually Henry, I feel that Ashley has the potential to be a great mother. Yes, she has made questionable choices in her life, but I think with treatment and guidance she will be a very productive parent and with Morgan by her side, she can't go wrong."

Ashley smiled a smile smile of thanks to Emma, but Harry just gaped at her. "Oh my God, Emma, are you serious? You speak poorly about Ashley all the time! You dread spending time with her because you don't know how she'll behave and you're always saying how immature she is and how tired you are of her antics. For God's sake, you implored an FBI agent for help to keep her from breaking into your home on a regular basis!

Remember the time she crashed your company's party, ripped off her clothes, sprawled spread eagle on a piano, and started banging on the keyboard while using your colleagues and superiors as the subjects to profanity-laced songs? You were so disgusted with her you wouldn't speak to her for weeks! Even recently you told Debra and me how mortified you were by her actions at the movies and at dinner. You said 'even wild animals behave better than that woman! I was close to tears because of how embarassing her behavior was. I don't think I will ever go back to that movie theater or restaurant out of fear I will always be associated with her!'"

"I think this pregnancy is the wake-up call Ashley so desperately needs," Emma replied, feeling guilty about the terrible things she said and felt about Ashley. "she may not have been serious about sobriety in the past, but this time is different. She understands this isn't jsut about her anymore and I think the fifth time will be the charm. She may act like a lunatic sometimes, well most times, but I have always loved and respected Ashley for her capacity to love others, her loyalty, and generousity of spirit. Yes, I hate how she breaks into my house and yes I might cringe before she opens her mouth, but I still love her! No matter what happens, she is family and I will always be there for her!'

"You are an idiot," Harry said, disgust dripping from his voice, earning a rather frightening death glare from Hotch.

"And I suppose you are just over the moon about this," Debra hissed at Stella.

"As a matter-of-fact, I am," Stella retorted hotly. She was grandstanding, but these jackasses didn't need to know that. She was less certain than Morgan, Lila, and apparently Emma of Ashley's mothering abilities, but she didn't think it was right to rake her over the coals. "I agree that this is the wake-up call Ash needs and I fully support her in her choices. You may think my sister and me are idiots, but you and your wife are assholes!"

"You know what, fine! If the idea of a crackwhore having a misshappen, seriously fucked up crack baby makes you all happy, then Debra and I want nothing more to do with you!" Harry screamed, grabbing Debra by the hand and storming towards the door. Before he left, he turned around and looked at his daughters with such disgust and anger it was amazing to know that he really was their father. Ashley sobbed uncontrollably, resting her feet on her chair so she could wrap her arms around her legs while she cried, but Lila met his hateful gaze directly, casting him one of her own.

"Debra and I are done with you! Do the two of you understand what we are saying? We are finished, finished! We are never speaking to you again and neither of you are allowed anywhere near our sons! Ashley, you are on your own and I have washed my hands of you! In fact, I have half a mind to take away your trust fund."

"If you so much as take one penny from her, I will call the bar association and inform them of the less-than-legal things you have done to keep my sister out of trouble," Lila said coldy. "she was just a child when most of these incidents occured so she won't get into trouble, but I think the higher ups would love to hear how you used your power and influence to your advantage."

"I am the president of the bar association, so who in that organization will come after me?" Harry retorted, trying to save face, but feeling a little nervous since he knew Lila was serious. She never felt the emotional tie towards him that Ashley had, so she wouldn't think twice about destroying him.

"The ABA is governed by the Office of the President, the House of Delegates, and the Board of Governors, so there is no shortage of people whom I can call," Lila said coldly. "besides, I'm sure the other ABA members wouldn't want someone of your ilk representing them. They might wonder how you are qualified to preside over them when you cannot even control your own affairs. So, Harry, I guess the question is, do you feel lucky? Well, do you?"

Harry simply stared at Lila, his mouth agape, not used to this cold, dark side of her. Debra cast her a fireblazing look of hell as she dragged her husband out of the house. As the door slammed behind them, Lila walked over to her sister, who was shaking inconsolably. Lila knelt down beside her and rested a hand on her leg.

"Ash, I am *so* sorry that Harry and Debra treated you that way. I know how close you were to them."

Ashley opened her mouth to respond, but she was crying so hard she couldn't find the words. Before Dave or Hotch could speak, Hotch's cellphone buzzed. He looked down, read the incoming message, and looked at Rossi, Dave, and Reid.

"We have a case," he said softly.

"Morgan, Reid, you can sit this one out if you would like. I know that the two of you have other pressing matters to attend to," Rossi said kindly, giving the men an out since he could tell how badly Morgan wanted to stay with her.

"I appreciate that, Rossi, thank you," Morgan said, hugging Ashley close to him. He kissed her temple before taking her face into his hands. "I am here for you, Mama, and you will not go through this alone. I love you and fully support your fight for sobriety. I believe in you and think you will be a fantastic mother to our child.

Rossi and Hotch nodded, then turned to Reid to hear his decision. Both men hoped he would choose to stay with his family, so when they saw the hesitation in his eyes, they were disappointed. Lila saw it too, so she waved him off with disgust.

"Whatever Spencer, just go!" she hissed, turning her attention back to her sister.

"Lila, I...I promise I'll call as soon as I can," he said, knowing she was upset and hating that he couldn't make things better for her.

As much as he wanted to be there for her and Ashley, he had a job to do and he had taken so much time off already he didn't want his position in jeopardy. Strauss was always hankering to make cuts from the team and Spencer knew she would use his long periods of time away from his job as an excuse to dispose of him. He knew Lila had plenty of money, but he didn't want to rely on her for support. He wanted to prove to everyone that he was fully capable of financially supporting his family on his own.

"Just get out of here, Spencer. Morgan, the girls and I can take it from here."

That very familair kicked-puppy expression took hold of Spencer's handsome face, but Lila at this point was too pre occupied to care. As he walked away, Rossi and Hotch embraced their women before whispering words of encouragement to Ashley. After giving the poor girl a warm hug, Rossi and Hotch exited the house, leaving Morgan, Lila, Emma, and Stella to tend to their wounded family member.


	71. Chapter 71 Pregnancy, Interrupted?

Chapter Seventy-One-Pregnancy, interrupted?

"Only a life lived for others is a life worth while."~ Albert Einstein

It was sometime later and Ashley and Lila were at the office of Drs. Matthew-Gray and Gubler. Lila was now a little over twenty weeks into her pregnancy and growing bigger everyday. Her baby started moving a few weeks ago and hadn't stopped since. Overnight it seemed Baby Reid had discovered Lila's body and was exploring every square inch of it. When the little munchin wasn't jabbing her in the ribs or dancing on her bladder, he or she was simply content to punch at their mommy's belly, as if trying to find a route of escape.

She was gaining weight rapidly and growing increasingly more tired. She could feel her abdomen tightening and cramping and she had severe lower back pain. She started having these symptoms in the beginning of her second trimester but they were getting worse with each passing day. Lila's appointment wasn't until next week, but when she began to experience bleeding earlier that morning she decided she needed to see her doctor ASAP. The staff was solicitous as always and Sara told Lila to come right in. Since Spencer was already at work, Lila called Ashley to see if she could take her to her appointment.

After the dinner party from Hell, Ashley stayed the night at Lila's home, as did Morgan, Emma, and Stella so they could lend emotional support. Early the next morning, they drove to New Beginnings, one of the country's most renound drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, and with her family looking on, Ashley checked herself into rehab for the fifth time. Being in rehab again was surreal, especially since this was the first time she was doing it on her own voluntarily. The first four times Harry and Debra had made the decision for her and as a result Ashley hadn't taken sobriety seriously. In fact, in some aspects she became worse since she was exposed to other, more serious narcotics while in rehab, as well as sex.

When she was first admitted to rehab at the tender age of thirteen for marijuana usage, she immediately fell in with a crowd as apathetic towards recovery as herself, and it was through them she tried Heroinne for the first time. She also began having sexual relations when a twenty year old aide made it clear that if she gave him certain favors, he would overlook her behavior. Ashley was kicked out a month later when she was caught engaging in sexual relations with this aide and since neither the facility nor her parents wanted a scandel, charges were never brought. Six months later her mother forced her back into rehab when failed several at home drug tests and marijuana was discovered in her bedroom. She lasted two months this time, but was once again kicked out for running away and for other disorderly conduct.

Two years lapsed in between her third stint in rehab, since by then her little brothers were getting older and her parents didn't want to juggle rehab *and* two young, energetic boys. Their hands were tied, however, when police called their house to inform them that Ashley had ODed at a party and was found unconscious on a random neighbor's lawn. She and a group of friends snuck into a college fraternity, where drugs and alcohol were as rampant as sexual relations. It was on this occassion that Ashley tried meth for the first time and suffered an overdose. Panicked, her friends carried her out of the party and threw her onto a stranger's lawn before taking off into the night, not wanting to get into trouble.

Thankfully this individual found Ashley in time and had her rushed to the hospital. She was in rehab for three months and never again tried Meth or Heroinne, but her penchant for Marijuana and alcohol still ran strong. For their parts, Harry and Debra were just glad she kicked the hard stuff and decided to cut their losses. A year later, however, they were forced to check their daughter into rehab again when she stole Harry's porsche for a drunken joyride. This wasn't the first time she had stolen one of her parents' vehicles and it certainly wasn't the first time she was drinking behind the wheel.

As she zoomed through Greenwich at one hundred miles an hour with beer bottle in hand and the front seat filled with more booze, intent on going to New York City for a night of even more partying, she swerved off the road and crashed into a tree. She had been in other accidents before, but this one by far was the most serious. She wasn't wearing a seatbelt, so she flew out of the driver's seat, through the windshield and several feet away from the completely totaled vehicle. She suffered severe bruising, cuts, second degree burns, and a shattered pelvis, but miraculously she managed to survive. How that happened was a mystery to everyone involved, but after a two week stay in the hospital, she was sent to rehab.

She managed to complete high school without further stints in rehab, but did OD a second time when she discovered cocaine her first year of college. That didn't detur her from further use, however, although she usually only partook of cocaine at parties. Marijuana and alcohol were the only drugs she enjoyed on a daily basis. She never ODed from narcotics again, but she did need her stomach pumped on three separate occassions due to excessive alcohol consumption.

Following her thirty days in rehab, she began attending AA and NA meetings, which again was a foreign experience for her. Her parents had suggested meetings when she was a teenager, but she had blown them off, thinking they were a waste of time. The first few visits were awkward, but everyone was so kind and supportive, so it wasn't long before Ashley was sharing her story. Her sponsor, Toni, was wonderful, and exactly what she needed: kind, compassionate, but tough and no nonsense. Toni was a meth addict before beating her addictions ten years ago. She went from being a meth addicted, homeless prostitute to a respected sponsor, mentor, minister, and doting mother to an adorable little girl named Hope Marie. Seeing how Toni was able to turn her life around was inspirational to Ashley and she wanted to be like her.

Ashley's recovery was a work in progress, but she had hope that the fifth time was the charm. For once in her life she actually *wanted* to stay clean. Not only did she have the support of Lila, Emma, and Stella, but of Morgan as well. He was so kind and understanding, visiting and calling as often as possible and doing whatever he could to make her new life easier to bare. The rest of the team was great, too, which was a pleasant surprise for Ashley since she thought she had alienated all of them.

Most important of all, though, Ashley was fighting for sobriety for the sake of her unborn child. Thankfully the child was free of drugs and alcohol, which was nothing short of a miracle considering her former lifestyle. Although this wasn't the most opportune time in which to have a child, Ashley already loved her baby more than anything and hoped she had what it took to give this child the life it deserved. She was already taking a step in the right direction, having moved out of the drug infested party fest she used to call home. For now she was staying with Lila until she found a permanent residence. Lila loved having her sister staying with her, although she could do without Ashley's cornsnake Scarlett. Ashley looked over at her older sister and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure all is well with Baby Reid," Ashley replied, resting a reassuring hand on her sister's swollen tummy.

"I don't know, Ash. I mean, I've gained more weight than usual and this baby never, ever stops moving. Is it normal for a baby to never stop moving? I'm tired all the time, my abdomen hurts, and lower back is killing me. I have red bumps and rashes on my belly that itch constantly, I have headaches, nausea, and vomitting. Who the Hell still vomits over twenty weeks into their pregnancy? I pee all the time, I'm always thirsty..."

"Lila, it's normal to feel miserable during pregnancy," Ashley said reassuringly. "a friend of mine was so uncomfortable during her pregnancy she would pick fights with her husband for kicks. Every little thing he did annoyed her and she would throw him out of the house for any reason. They are still together and surprisingly enough, having baby #3."

"Well, considering *my* husband is never home I don't have that problem," Lila cracked bitterly.

"He's only gone so much because he's working. He isn't staying away to avoid you," Ashley said kindly, wanting to keep her sister's spirits elevated. Despite Spencer's douchy behavior as of late, she still adored her brother-in-law and reasoned that his behavior was strictly work-related.

"Oh, I see, so the reason Spencer practically lives with that whore Austin is because the BAU has some sort of whore-reach-out-program? Is this a federally or private funded organization?"

"Lila-bear, just calm down and thinks about things rationally. Spence has a difficult, scary job where he come in contact with the seediest underbellies of society on a regular basis. His cases are complicated and take time to unravel-even a sexy genius can't solve a case at Matlock speed. He probably doesn't call you much when he's away or tell you about cases because he doesn't want to scare you or reveal secret information. I don't know how all that works, but I'm sure they have to adhere to some sort of confidentially while working on cases, just to make sure vital information doesn't fall into the wrong hands."

"That's all fine and good, but how does that explain his visits to Austin? She isn't an FBI agent, so why does she get to hear about his cases? Why does he need to spend so much time with her? I'm Spencer's *wife*-his *pregnant* wife and I need him home with me!"

"He's not with Austin *all* the time. Like anyone, he needs to have a social life outside of work and marriage and let's face it, our boy unfortunately doesn't fit in with just anyone. Austin may not be an FBI agent, but she's studying to become one, so he probably feels safe sharing this kind of information with her and she probably sees him as a mentor since he's in the field she wants to enter. From their point of view, their colaboration is mutually benefitial and sounds totally innocent to me. Trust me, Lila, if I so much as suspected he was worshipping anyone else's ground but yours, I would grab his Reid, wrap it around both their necks, and hang them from the ceilling."

"Umm, thanks Ash, that was...graphic."

"Anytime Lila-Bear."

Lila looked at the ground, clasping her hands tightly in her lap. Ashley wrapped her arm around her and continued speaking.

"Lila-bear, I have known a lot, and I mean *a lot* of douchebags in my lifetime and believe me when I say Spence doesn't come anywhere close to being on that list. I know he seems thoughtless, but I sincerely believe he is behaving this way to protect you."

Before Lila had a chance to respond, Dr. Marilyn Matthew-Gray entered the room, looking lovely as always. She had Lila's chart in one hand and used the other to shut the exam room door behind her. She smiled warmly at the two women and shook their hands. She had met with Ashley once already, since Ashley had made Dr Matthew-Gray her OB as well.

"Hello, ladies. Sorry I took so long, but I needed to wrap up my two other visits."

"That's quite alright, Dr. MG, you hardly kept us waiting at all. Thank you so much for agreeing to see me on such short notice. I know my appointment is only a week away..."

"Lila, you don't ever have to apologize for your concerns to me or anyone else in this office," Marilyn interjected. "obstentrics is a delicate, oftentime emotional field and we understand how nervous women can be during this time in their lives. You have legitimate concerns and did the right thing by calling us. You're not crazy for worrying about yourself or your baby."

Lila looked visably relieved at Dr. MG's reassurances. "All the same, thank you for being so understanding, and I hope you don't mind I brought Ashley with me, but it's just that Spencer is at work and I didn't want to come alone."

"Oh, I suppose I can tolorate seeing your sister more than once in one week," Marilyn joked. "as you know, I encourage my patients to do whatever is necessary to feel at ease during these visits, so if you need a loved one for emotional support that is perfectly fine. In fact, I have had patients bring as many as five people into the room with them, so one person is hardly noticable at all-even someone as exuberant as Ashley."

Ashley hopped off the exam table and sat in a nearby chair so Dr. MG would have enough space to conduct her exam. Lila had already provided blood and urine samples, so they were still waiting for the results. There was a gentle knock at the door and Sara entered the room so she could assist in the exam. Dr. MG was as proficient and thorough as always, doing her exam silently, but not so quiet as to further unnerve her patient. Lila watched her conduct the exam, waiting anxiously for the results. The exam came to an end and Dr. MG removed her gloves, throwing them into the garbage before she began to wash her hands. As Sara began tidying up, Dr. MG looked over at her.

"Sara, would you please go to the lab and see if the results are ready yet and ask Jennie if she could please come here?" Jennie was Amber's cousin and resident ultrasound technician.

"Yes, doctor, of course," Sara agreed.

It was at that moment that there was another knock on the door and Leah entered the room. Leah was Dr. MG's niece and another medical assistant, although she worked primarily in the lab. Leah handed Dr. MG Lila's lab results and stepped out of the way so Sara could leave the room. Dr. MG carefully studied the lab findings, frowning thoughtfully as she read them. A few moments later, there was another knock and this time it was Jennie entering the room, bringing with her the ultrasound machine.

Lila and Ashley watched thoughtfully as Jennie began the ultrasound with Dr. MG looking on. The two women conversed quietly and Dr. MG made several comments, all while looking occassionally at the lab results and Lila's chart. Lila and Ashley exchanged glances and Ashley finally spoke up.

"Doctor, what is going on? Are Lila and the baby okay?"

Dr. MG looked over at the two women with the same thoughtful frown on her face. She set down her paperwork and removed her glasses, considering her words carefully before she spoke.

"Lila, I have studied your lab results and the ultrasound carefully and we have some things to discuss."


	72. Chapter 72 Fears Confirmed

Chapter Seventy-Two-Fears Confirmed

"Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil."~ Aristotle

****Author's Note: I would like to express my gratitude to my boyfriend's mother, Sarah, for her help in creating this chapter. I had so many question for her since she is a nurse and she very graciously and patiently answered them all, as well as provided additional inspiration. Thanks again, Sarah, you're awesome!**

Lila looked at Dr. Matthew-Gray, wide eyed with fear. Their previous visits had always been so light hearted that this new, more serious tone in her voice was alarming to Lila. She looked over at Ashley, who immediately moved her chair over so it was next to the exam table. She reached out and took her big sister's hand, ready to support her no matter what Dr. MG had to say. The two sisters looked at each other before looking at the doctor. What Dr. Marilyn said next almost knocked both women to the floor.

"Lila, you are pregnant with twins."

"T...twins. D...did you just say *twins*?" Ashley exclaimed, looking from the doctor to her sister. "are you *absolutely* sure?"

"Yes, Ashley, I am, take a look at the ultrasound," Marilyn replied, pointing to the screen.

Ashley and Lila looked at the monitor and sure enough, a second little body was in full view. Marilyn pointed at the surprise baby, explaining the location of the heartbeat and other body parts and organs. As Ashley fired off a list of questions, Lila just stared at the screen, transfixed by the sight before her. A twin herself, Lila had always known if she ever had children, twins were a very real possibility. The idea of having twins scared her, especially given her own mother's difficult delivery, but also excited her as well.

She liked the idea of an instant family and the fact that there was more than one baby inside of her helped explain what was going on with her body. As her sister rambled, Lila rested a hand on her belly, rubbing it gently at if to welcome the newest, surprise member of her family. She wasn't sure why he or she hadn't been detected until now, but she was too in love to care. Lila knew Spencer would be shocked by the news, provided he would take his head out of Austin's ass long enough to notice, but she hoped he would handle the news well. She stared down at her belly, now gently stroking it with both hands.

"Doctor, what are the stats on twins having twins? Will the babies be identical as well? Can you tell if they are identical yet?" Ashley asked.

"The statistics for identical twins are the same as fraternal twins, which are one in seventeen," Dr. Marilyn explained. "and as for determining their genders in utero, that can only be done through dna testing. Whether or not they are identical doensn't affect their health or development."

"I do have more information to share with you, however," Dr. Marilyn continued. "it appears that your babies have a monochorionic placenta. This occurs when twins develop a shared placenta in the uterus, instead of two separate placentas. If a fertilized egg takes longer than four days to split, only one placenta develops instead of two. This could explain why we were unable to detect the second baby, since it is most likely it placed itself behind the other twin, hence avoiding detection.

Typically this placenta is able to balance nutrients and blood flow to both babies. However, in this instance, I am detecting abnormal blood vessels, which occurs in 5%-25% of twins with this condition. This means that your twins are in the early stages of Twin-to-Twin-Transfusion-Syndrome."

Ashley and Lila both looked at each other, shocked and horrified by Dr. Marilyn's declaration. Ashley immediately wrapped her arms around Lila and pulled her as close as their large bellies would allow. Ashley was terrified inside, but knew she had to be strong for her sister. She knew that as scared as she was, Lila's fear was considerably larger. As Ashley gently rubbed her sister's back, the doctor continued to speak.

"Twin-to-Twin-Transfusion-Syndrome, or TTTS as it is also known, is a pregnancy complication that affects the placenta, preventing proper circulation of blood and nutrients between the twins. It was originally believed that TTTS was extremely rare, affecting only a minute percentage of twin pregnancies. New research, however, shows that one in one thousand twin births are affected by this disease. Although the reason for this disease is unknown, some experts believe that the position of the twins in the placenta may play a contributing factor. One twin, called the donor twin, will provide all of the nutrients to the other twin, which can result in heart failure due to pumping too much blood.

Other complications include anemia to the donor twin, poor fetal position, excessive amnotic fluid to the recipient twin, leading to premature rupture of the membranes, preterm labor, brain damage, heart damage, or fetal death. TTTS explains your rapid weight gain, abdominal pain, and the contractions you have been feeling."

When Lila heard the words "fetal death", she burst into tears, burying her face into her sister's shoulder as the emotion burst forth. Ashley looked at Dr. Marilyn, excrutiating pain filling her as well, but doing her best to hide it.

"Is there anything you can do remedy this?" Ashley asked.

"Absolutely, Ashley. TTTS is a serious complicatiom, but we do have some options available. The first one is a procedure called Amnioreduction, which is when a needle is inserted to remove excess amniotic fluid from around the recipient twin. This will help reduce Lila's discomfort, as well as the risk of preterm labor. This procedure usually takes about an hour and can remove anywhere between one and three liters of excess amniotic fluid. After the procedure is complete, the donor twin has more room to grow and develop.

The second procedure is called Septostomy, which is usually performed along with an amnioreduction. A hole is created in the amniotic membranes with a needle and amniotic fluid is then allowed to re-balance itself, allowing each twin to have the same amount of amniotic fluid. The third option is laser treatment, which is used to destroy the abnormal blood vessels in the placenta that are responsible for the poor blood circulation between the twins. A scope is passed through the abdomen and into the recipient twin's amniotic sac. A laser is thne passed through the scope and used to break the abnormal blood vessels.

This form of treatment often helps to normalize blood flow and sometimes works to completely eliminate the TTTS. Of course, we do have another option, which is Umbilical Cord Occlusion. This is reserved for if one of the twins becomes sick or dies in utero. In this instance, the other twin may still receive the blood from the sick twin and become ill themselves. UCO uses an instrument to tie off the umbilical cord of the sick fetus, which will result in its death. Although that fetus dies, but procedure will save the other twin."

"How far along is my TTTS?" Lila asked, finally looking up from her sister's shoulder. The idea of killing one of her precious babies in order to save the other made her sick to her stomach and she wanted to do everything she could to prevent it.

"It is still in Stage 1, which is good. We still have a window of time to consider our options and do what we can to lessen the diseases's affects, or stop it all together," Marilyn replied.

"Can you tell which twin is the donor and which is the recipient?" Ashley asked.

Dr. Marilyn nodded and pointed to the ultrasound monitor. "Baby A is the recipient, since he or she is several ounces larger than its sibling. Baby B, who is positioned behind Baby A, is the donor and he or she is noticably smaller than Baby A. This baby is less active than Baby A, who is moving around quite a bit. I hate to continue to pile on the bad news, ladies, but I have more to discuss."

Lila and Ashley stared at her, badly shaken after hearing about TTTS and wondering if they could handle more bad news. For her part, Marilyn hated this part of her jobm but knew it was her duty as a physican to give her patient all pertinent information so they could device a course of treatment.

"I have checked your lab results and it appears that you have gestational diabetes, as well as hypertension. Your diabetes is on the mild side and with some adjustments to your diet that can be handled. In fact, this form of diabetes typically goes away once you deliver your babies. As for the hypertension, your blood pressure is 140/90, which is higher than I would like to see. Normal blood pressure is 120/80."

"What do each of the number stand for-the top and the bottom I mean," Ashley asked.

"The top number, also known as the Systolic number, is the blood pressure in vessels during a heart beat. The bottom number, or Diastolic number, is the pressure between heart beats," the doctor replied. "we can treat this with medication and we will monitor your situation closely. Hypertension is one symptom of pre-eclampsia, which can be life threatening to Lila and the twins if not treated properly. We also need to be on the look out for HELLP syndrome, which can be developed in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. HELLP is an abbreviation for Hemolytic anemia, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platelet count. It can potentially be life threatening, but I will do whatever I can to prevent that."

"Why do I have itchy bumps and rashes on my stomach?" Lila asked, silently cringing as she braced herself for the answer.

"You have something called Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy, also known as PUPPP. It's also known as Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy. Although it usually begins in the third trimester, it is common in women having twins or having their first baby. It usually shows up first on the abdomen around or in stretch marks, if any are present, and may spread to your thighs, buttocks, and arms. This condition is harmless, if not annoying. I will prescribe a topical oitment for you, which will give you some relief. PUPPP usually disappears within a few days after delivery and seldom appears again in subsequent pregnancies."

"I do have two more issues to address with you, Lila," Marilyn said. "I understand I am heaping a tremendous amount of bad news on you today and for that I apologize. I just want you to have all the pertinent information so we can form a plan of treatment."

Lila simply nodded, feeling numb and completely drained as Dr. Marilyn continued speaking.

"You also have two conditions known as Placenta Previa and Placenta Accreta. Although both usually don't present themselves at once, it can happen. Placenta Accreta, also known as Placenta Abruptio, is the separation of the placenta from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery. This explains the bleeding you have been experiencing Lila, and happens in one out of one hundred and fifty pregnancies. Sometimes only a portion of the placenta separates, other times it pulls away completely.

In your case, it has only pulled away slightly. This condition decreases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus, or in this case fetuses, making it one of the leading causes of fetal death in the third trimester. However, more than ninety percent of babies survive and maternal death is rare. Since your case in a minor one, I am suggesting a few days of bedrest to stop the bleeding, but you can resume normal activities afterwards. If this condition worsens you will have to be hospitalized, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

As for Placenta Previa, that is a condition in which the placenta lies low in the uterus and partially or completely covers the cervix. The placenta may separate from the uterine wall as the cervix begins to dilate during labor. This condition, like the others we have discussed, is common among women having twins. This also explains your contractions and bleeding. Treatment for this condition also includes bedrest, as well as avoidance of pelvic exams, limited traveling, and no intercourse.

Hospitalization may be a possibility in the future, but I am holding off on that for the time being, provided that your case remains marginal. If your condition worsens and you *are* hospitalized, I will prescribe steroid injections to help stimulate the fetuses lung development. Once you are off of bedrest, you can go back to some of your normal activites, but nothing to strenuous. I know these last two conditions sound scary, but with proper treatment you should be fine. Honestly, your biggest issues are the TTTS and hypertension. I am hopeful we can keep these issues under control and hopefully get you to a viable gestational age."

Lila simply nodded, looking down at her stomach as more tears streamed down her face. When she first found out she was pregnant, she was ecstatic, thrilled to be having a family with the man she loves. Now she wasn't certain if she would have a family at all. As she wiped the tears from her eyes, Jennie spoke.

"Would you like to know the genders of your babies?" she asked.

Lila didn't respond, so Ashley spoke up. "Is there anyway you could print the ultrasound pictures and write the babies's genders on a separate sheet of paper? My sister has been through quite a bit today and I think she needs time to process everything before she thinks about anything else."

"Of course," Jennie agreed, printing the ultrasound pictures.

Dr. Marilyn spoke further, answering any questions the two women had and they talked at length about their plan of attack for the TTTS. Once the two women were satisfied, Dr. Marilyn walked them to the front desk, where Ashley's prescriptions were waiting, as well as information packets about the conditions Dr. Marilyn described. Lila scheduled her next appointment and after Dr. Marilyn gave her a hug and words of encouragement, she and Ashley left the building. The ride home was a quiet one with both women fighting back their sobs.

After they arrived home, Ashley helped Lila out of the car and into her bedroom. Lila removed her clothes and slipped into a loose fitting nightgown. She slipped quietly into bed and closed her eyes, trying to block out the nightmare that was now her life. As she drifted off into darkness, Ashley stayed beside her, never leaving her big sister's side.


	73. Chapter 73 Heart to Hearts

Chapter Seventy-Three-Heart-to-Hearts

"Family...a group experience of love and support."~ Marianne Williamson

It was sometime later and Spencer was arriving home from his NA meeting. He hated to leave Lila to attend, but Ashley assured him it was fine, saying she would be with Lila should anything happen. He never thought the day would come where he was actually relieved to have Ashley in his house, but he was and he was also so grateful to her for everything she was doing to calm Lila's nerves. Lila was terrified over her pregnancy and Spencer felt the same, although he did his best not to show it. The prospect of having twins was scary enough without having medical problems to contend with.

Spencer had more to deal with than just his wife's difficult pregnancy. His mysterious headaches had returned and after countless visits to physicans, MRIs and CAT scans, no one knew what was happening with him. All he could do was take his medication and hope for the best. He was also having to contend with JJ's sudden departure from the team and learning to live without her. It was bizarre going to work everyday and not seeing her running around the office or briefing them on cases. Garcia was having to pull double duty as liasion and computer tech and the stress was getting to her.

His colleagues were being so sweet and supportive of him and Lila during this difficult time in their lives. They called and visited Lila as much as possible, which she appreciated greatly given their tight schedules. The team was even kind enough to come over to help celebrate Ashley's twenty third birthday. She was a Halloween baby, so the house was decorated accordingly. Lila did what she could to help, but since she was on strict orders to take it easy, Morgan, Garcia, and Kevin did a lion's share of the work.

Ashley originally planned to have a huge, drunken, drug infested, blown out affair like she always did, but circumstances had obviously changed, so a smaller, classier, more legal affair was planned. Not only was the BAU in attendance, but Veronica, Emma, Stella, and Toni attended as well. Ashley and Lila still hadn't heard anything from Harry and Debra, but they were learning to live with that. Being without Harry and Debra was easier for Lila than Ashley, who had always been close to her parents, but she was fairing as well as could be expected.

Lila decided to have the laser treatments for her TTTS and Ashley and Spencer were right by her side the entire time. As scared as Lila was, she found comfort in having her two favorite people by her side. Having Spencer by her side behaving like the sweet, thoughtful man she fell in love with did wonders to calm her nerves. The procedure took place on a Friday morning, so Spencer took a long weekend to help care for his wife. He was back in good form, giving her massages, bringing her meals in bed, reading to her, painting her toenails, and just laying next to her in bed holding her.

She was pleasantly surprised that the cessation of sexual relations in their relationship hadn't affected his mood or his affections towards her. Lila missed that part of their relationship as much as him and looked forward to resuming it once the twins were born. She would joked with  
Spencer to try to jump her in the recovery room, much to his embarassment. Lila thought her husband was sexy all the time, but there was something about him being embarassed that made him even more adorable.

After the meeting, he texted Austin to inform her he wasn't going to visit her as he usually did. As much as he liked visiting his friend and having a pleasant chat over a drink and a quick dinner, he knew his place was at home with his wife. Austin sent him her regards and said she hoped Lila made a quick recovery. He promised to see her again soon and drove home as fast as the law permitted. Finally, he pulled into the driveway, parked his car, and climbed out, remembering to take the gift bag on the passenger seat beside him.

Before the meeting, he stopped to pick up a special gift for his wife. He wanted to help cheer her up, as well as apologize for being such an inconsiderate jerk. He opened the front door and entered the house, shutting and locking the door behind him. He walked into the living room and found his sister-in-law, relaxing on the couch with her feet propped on the coffee table and laptop nestled on her lap. He wished she would at least use coasters, but after everything she'd done for Lila lately, he chose not to say anything. He smiled at her and sat down, kicking his shoes off.

"Hey, Spence, how was your meeting?" Ashley asked.

She looked the epitome of earth-mother goodness in a long, plum colored silk, empire waisted nightgown. Her hair was worn loose and resting softly against her shoulders. On her wrist was a bracelet made of orange, yellow, red, and purple crystals, which were her favorite colors. It was a birthday gift from Morgan and the bracelet had two butterfly charms on it. He explained that butterflies represented love and new beginnings, an appropriate gift for her. Linking the two butterflies was an intertwined A & D, obviously representing Ashley and Derek's initials. Ashley loved her bracelet and hadn't taken it off since she received it.

"It went well. We had a newcomer this evening and he did most of the talking. He just finished ninety days in rehab for a ten year cocaine addiction."

"Cocaine seems to be the drug of choice for those new to the world of sobriety," Ashley cracked. Cocaine had been a favored drug for her, taken freely and generously at parties and clubs.

"You seem to be settling well into your meetings, Ashley. Remember when you were so nervous you couldn't bring yourself to talk?"

"Yeah, but having a great sponsor makes a difference-as does one-on-one therapy and outpatient treatment four times a week."

"I can imagine. I think you're doing a great job, Ashley, and I'm proud of you. You've come such a long way in such a short period of time."

"I finally have a reason to want to fight my demons, Spence. For once, my life has meaning and I have something to live for," she said, resting her hand on her tummy. She could feel little Archer-Morgan kicking and it was such a comforting feeling. So far her pregnancy was going well and some how she had managed to avoid damaging her fetus.

Spencer smiled at her and caught a glimpse of her laptop screen. He was surprised to see her looking at websites pertaining to bakeries in the Quantico/DC area.

"I know you're eating for two, but is an entire cake necessary?" he joked.

"It's not just for me, you goober," she said with a giggle. "as you know, the gender of your twins are in an enclosed envelope that no one has yet to open. After careful consideration Lila would like to know the gender of the babies and I thought we could make it really special for her by having a party. Some expectant parents announce the sex of their baby by ordering a cake and having their OB call the bakery with the gender of the child so they can make the filling gender specific-blue for boys and pink for girls obviously. The outside of the cake looks totally normal, but when you cut into the cake it's either all pink or all blue. In Lila's case, since she is having twins, I thought it might be fun for the filling to be purple if she's having one of each."

"Ashley, that is a lovely, sweet thought and Lila will love this," Spencer said, looking at his sister-in-law with even more affection. Suddenly, an idea came to him.

"What if instead of one big cake we had two smaller cakes instead so each baby can have their own cake? Lila is adament that the twins have their own identity and not be lumped together just because they are twins, so this could be a way of celebrating their individuality."

"Spence, you have just solidified your status as number one genius in our family," Ashley joked, as if his IQ of 180 an capacity to read 10,000 wmp wasn't enough.

Spencer simply blushed and Ashley moved her laptop so Spencer could see the websites better. Since he was a confirmed genius, she let him zip through all of the websites she had pulled up and choose the best bakery. The task was completed in mere seconds and they were now browsing their desired websites, browsing the different cake styles and pondering their choices.

"Where is Lila? How was she today?"

"Lila's relaxing in bed. I had dinner with her in her room about an hour ago, so she's probably still awake. She spent most of the day in bed and is still anxious about the twins, but I think I was able to somewhat distract her with activities and talking. We played a few board games and discussed possible nursery themes."

"I'm going to go upstairs and check on her. Will you still be awake when I come back?"

"Most likely. I want to look at the website longer and research the other things we need-the caterer, decorations, flowers..."

"Sounds good, Ash. I'll see you in a little while." He rose from the couch and was walking towards the stairs when Ashley called for him. He looked over to see what she had to say.

"Spencer, you have been amazing with Lila the past couple of days. I hope this means the Spencer we know and love has come back to stay."

Spencer looked confused so Ashley continued speaking. "I understand how all-consuming your career is and you're just trying to do it to the best of your abilities, but remember that you have a wife who loves you and wants to share in your life-all of your life, not just the portions you cherry pick at your discretion. She thinks you don't love her as much and that you value Austin more than her."

"But that's preposterious! Lila is my wife and the mother of my unborn children. I love her more than anything!"

"I know that and you know that, but unfortunately Lila doesn't know that. I trust your intentions with Austin and know you would never betray my sister for fear of my wrath, but in her delicate condition she needs all the reassurance she can get. Believe me when I say pregnancy is a bitch sometimes."

Spencer just stared at sister-in-law, amazed at the transformation that had taken place. The use of the word "bitch" confirmed this woman really was Ashley Archer, but the sage, matter-of-fact...rational advice was amazing coming from the woman who once ripped off her jewelry so she could fight a stranger in a movie theater. Ashey was growing up and he liked the change.

"I never thought I would see the day were *you* were the voice of reason," he said.

"Me either. A few months off of drugs and I'm Dear fucking Abby."

Spencer laughed and walked up the stairs, gift bag in hand, looking forward to seeing his wife. He walked down the hall and slowly opened the bedroom door, not wanting to disturb her if she was asleep. Sure enough, he found her asleep in bed, the comforter pulled up to her chest and a book held loosely in her hand. He approached the bed and set the giftbag on the nightstand, gently picking up the book and setting it beside the bag. His wife was a vision as always, her golden locks fanned against the pillow case and the natural blush in her cheeks brought out by the vibrant pink nightgown she wore.

He leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips, doing his best not to disturb her. He was pleasantly surprised when she returned the kiss and opened her eyes. When they finally pulled apart, Spencer sat beside her on the edge of the bed and Lila pushed herself up so her back was resting against the headboard.

"I'm sorry, fleur, I didn't mean to wake you," Spencer said.

"That's alright, Spence," she said, loving that he was using his special pet name for her. He hadn't called her "fleur" in a really long time. "I'm glad you're home, sweetie. How was your meeting?"

"It went well. I spoke tonight and talked about how wonderful it feels to be clean and sober and how lucky I feel to have such a beautiful wife."

Lila blushed and Spencer pulled up her nightgown, revealing her swollen abdomen. She was past the halfway mark in her pregnancy and looked as if she had swallowed a basketball. Her face had a soft roundness to it and her breasts were noticably larger. Despite the difficulties they were facing, Lila and Spencer were trying to remain optimistic about the outcome. Spencer gently stroked her belly and kissed it, earning a swift kick to the lips.

He chuckled and kissed her belly again, resting his cheek against her flesh. Considering the never-ending darkness he faced in his career, it was such a blessing to have something so beautiful to come home to. He was still scared about the outcome of the pregnancy, but he tried to put on a happy face for Lila, knowing he needed her to be strong.

"And how are my little angels?" Spencer asked her stomach, clearly talking to the twins. "were you good for Mommy today?"

"You were?" he answered, earning a giggle from Lila. He pressed his ear to her belly, as if the babies were answering back. "you were perfect angels all day, letting mommy rest and not causing her any discomfort whatsoever? What considerate children you are, and you're not even born yet."

"What is in the bag, Spence?" Lila asked, laughing at her silly husband.

"Bag, what bag?" Spencer asked, feigning ignorance. Lila playfully slapped him upside the head and Spencer acted as if they helped him realize what she was talking about. "Ohhhh, you mean *this* bag," he said, handing it to her.

Lila shook her head, laughing as she eagerly removed the tissue paper and looked inside to claim her prize. To her delight, she found a package set of massage lotions and oils from Moms to Be, a store specializing in items for both mom and baby, or in this case _babies_. Spencer picked up a bottle of cocoa butter lotion and dangled it back and forth.

"How does a massage sound?" he asked.

"Heavenly," Lila replied, removing her nightgown so Spencer could work his magic. The sight of Lila in nothing but a bra and panties made Spencer's eyes glaze over, his lust apparent. He knew they wouldn't be able to make love for several months, but his wife's body never ceased to amaze him. Lila noticed him oggling her and blushed.

"You're not just offering me a massage so you can see me naked are you?" she teased.

"I'm not going to lie when I say that that *is* a definate bonus, but my motives are pure. I just want to please you," he said, squirting a dollop of lotion in the palm of his hand and rubbing both hands together as she laid on her side.

Spencer moved behind her and gently kissed her neck as he began to rub her shoulders. Lila closed her eyes and moaned, melting at her husband's touch. She could feel his arousal against the small of her back and she could feel her own desire mounting. She couldn't wait until this pregnancy was over so they could resume their intense physical intimacy.

"The babies did tell me something, luv," he continued, working his magic.

"Oh really?" Lila asked, the amusement apparent in her voice. "and just what did our genius fetuses disclose?"

"They mentioned their desire for actual names. Apparently Twin #1 and Twin #2 isn't up to their standards."

"I know we have mentioned some names we like, but you're right, we need to have a more serious discussion. What do you have in mind?"

"I consulting and there is a section on most popular names for twins. Do you like Faith and Hope?"

"Perhaps as middle names, but I'm not a fan of using virtues as first names. Do you have any other suggestions? What about Daniel-after your uncle?"

"I wasn't very close to Uncle Daniel. If Faith and Hope aren't in the running for first names, I suppose Grace is out," he said. "I know you're not keen on having a daughter share your first name, but your middle name is something to consider."

"I suppose we could consider Grace as a middle name, but to be honest I don't want to name a child after myself. If we have a daughter, I want her unemcombered of any association to myself or my former life. I know comparisons are inevitable since she is my daughter, but I don't want her in my shadow or feeling as if she has to be like me. If one of these twins is a girl, I want her to do, think, be, and act in accordace to her own wishes, not to please anyone else."

"For what it's worth, love, I think our daughter would be lucky if she was *anything* like you," Spencer said, unclasping her bra and removing it so he could massage her back.

Lila said nothing, so he continued speaking. "How about Natalie and Nicole? Ava and Sophia? Hannah and Sarah?"

"Spencer, honey, are you ever going to come to terms with the fact that one or both of our twins stand a good chance of being a boy? Hannah and Sarah are lovely names, but somehow I don't think they would look right embroided on a boy scout uniform."

"I know there is a good chance we could have a son, or two sons, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. I will love our babies no matter what, but I would honestly prefer to have daughters. I, too, have concerns about burdening our children with my legacy."

Lila sat up, holding the sheet up to her chest as he continued speaking. "I didn't have the normal of upbrings or have a role model to show me how a normal young man is supposed to behave. I buried myself into books and cared about little else. How can I raise a normal, well adjusted son when I can't throw a baseball or proficiently play any other sport? One of the only things William did for me was coach my little league team and I *still* couldn't get it right.

I didn't have play dates, play with toy trucks, or hunt for insects. I've never understood the humor surrounding bodily fuctions and I like keeping my pants up to my waist. I wasn't much a hit with the opposite sex and the only truly physical relationship I have ever had was with you, so what can I teach my son? What do I have to offer him?

"You, Spencer, you can offer our sons yourself. You may not be the stereotypical male, but you still have so much you can teach our sons. You should know there is more to manhood than all of the things you just listed. You are still amazing, generous, attentive, intelligent, an wonderful-even if you can't throw a baseball."

Spencer cracked a smile, so she continued speaking. "I have the same fears about having daughters. I didn't have the happiest childhood either, but I know I would sooner die than inflict that sort of pain onto my children. I don't have much experience with children since I didn't spend much time with Hayden and Tony when they were little, but I think parenting involves just as much on-the-job training as it does research and observation. We may not be seasoned parenting professionals, but we can learn together.

You and I have both been to hell and back, but I think we can use those experiences to make us stronger and as motivation to give our children what we never had. You may have had a father who walked out on you and my mother may be a psychopath, but that doesn't mean we can't give out children a wonderful life. I think we have what it takes to break the cycle."

Spencer leaned forward and kissed her deeply. As she reveled in his touch, she hoped she had sufficiently calmed his nerves. She knew she sounded confident, but on the inside she was just as panicky as Spencer. The prospect of having little girls made her want to break out in hives. Her biggest fear was that one day she would wake up and be just like her mother.

She sincerely hoped that wouldn't happen, but she also feared that maybe she wouldn't be strong enough to break the cycle of abuse. She had never experienced the warm, gentle embrace of a mother's affection or the reassurance of her support and guidance and wondered how she would find the tools to provide those things to her own children. She had read every child psychology and parenting book she could find, but she still felt terrified and unprepared. It was as if she had been asked to start filming a major movie when she had never seen a script. All she could do was hug her husband close and hope parenting had room for ad libing.


	74. Chapter 74 Sugar&Spice or Frogs&Snails?

Chapter Seventy-Four-Sugar and Spice or Frogs and Snails?

"What are little boys made of? What are little boys made of? Frogs and snails and puppy-dogs' tails, that's what little boys are made of. What are little girls made of? What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice. That's what little girls are made of."~English Nursery Rhyme, circa 1820

It was a week later and the Reid household was brimming with excited activity. The happy couple's closest friends and family had gathered for a "Guess the Gender" party, an event planned by Ashley and Spencer, but the result of mostly Ashley's hard work. Ashley was the one who chose the pink and blue invitations, met with the caterer, baker, selected the music, and did whatever else a party entails. Spencer added input on occassion, but this party was Ashley's brainstorm and he felt she deserved the credit. In addition to the BAU, JJ and her family, Holly, Ivy, Aiden, Zoey, Emma, Stella, Veronica and her husband Maxwell, Gideon, Elle and their daughter Celia, and Lila's friend Sharon and her family were in attendance.

Lila was reclining comfortably in an armchair, resplendid in a blue long sleeved maternity dress. The invitations dictated that the guests wear the color that indicated what gender they thought the babies would be. Blue was for boys, pink for girls, and purple for one of each and there was a nice mix of all three. Spencer was wearing a pale pink dress shirt with a darker pink tie and was talking to Gideon, who was dressed similarly. Lila was flanked by Elle and Sharon, who were both heavily pregnant and happy to be off their feet.

As the women spoke, they looked on with affection as the children ran ramped through the house. They chuckled at Emma's feable attempts to keep Jack under control as he chased after Jack Jr and Jameson. Celia ran after the boys, swinging a blonde baby doll at them. Lila looked over at Sharon, whose enormous belly was poking against her dark blue wrap dress.

"What do you think, Sharon? Are you up for one more?"

"If by another one you mean sandwich, absolutely," Sharon replied, finishing her second one. Lila and Elle chuckled as Sharon continued speaking.

"Jack and I have talked about it, but I'm not sure if my body could handle another pregnancy. Besides, I think five has a nice feel about it. It may not sound as minimal as three or four, but it isn't as terrifying as six. I think a sixth child would push me over the edge."

The women laughed and Sharon looked over at Elle, who was expecting a baby boy around Christmas time. She looked lovely in a plum colored dress.

"What about you, Elle? Is two enough or are you and Jason going for a tie breaker?"

"Sharon, not only is my factory forever closed, I have told Gideon his..."crew" is no longer allowed near the premesis. In exchange for entry back onto the sight, some "cuts" have to be made."

"That is an interesting way of wording it," Sharon said.

"My husband is an interesting man."

As Sharon and Elle continued their conversation, Lila quietly took in the happy sight before her. She was so pleased her friends and family could be in attendance on this happy occassion. She was so grateful to Ashley for throwing this party, for distracting her from the serious nature of her medical problems. Considering the odds against her, it was nice to be reminded of the happy aspect of her condition as well. She felt so blessed to have such an amazing circle of family and friends around her.

She hadn't seen Holly, Ivy, and Aiden in ages so it was lovely to have them in her home. Holly was attending Washington State University so she visited Lila occassionally, but a load of five classes and part-time work at the university book store left little time for socialization. Ivy and Aiden attended college in New York, so Lila hadn't seen them since the wedding. Zoey of course was a fixture at Lila's home, since she was working for Ashley. Zoey was blossoming in her position and taking on more responsibility due to the hectic nature of Ashley's private life.

Ashley was running all over the place, conversing frequently with the caterers to make certain enough for was in place, talking with guests, and seeing to it that everything was in order. On the cake table were goody bags for all the guests, containing pink and blue candy. She radiated excitement and good health in a dark blue sleeveless dress with a pink belt. It was an odd experience to have Ashley at a party without the police being involved, but it was something everyone could get used to. She walked out to Lila, Elle, and Sharon, holding a plateful of food and a cup of punch. This was the first time she had sat down all say and she was going to enjoy it. Elle took her plate and cup so Ashley could pull up a chair and sit down.

"The party is a huge success, Ashley, you must be very proud," Sharon said.

"I'm glad I can do something nice for Lila. She deserves to have a little fun," Ashley replied, taking her cup and plate from Elle. She set the cup on the table and continued holding her plate. As she tucked into her Korean pancakes, Elle spoke. (**author's note: Korean pancakes consist of flour, water, eggs, scallions, vegetable oil, salt and pepper.)

"You look great Ashley. Are you going to find out the sex of your baby?"

"Derek and I have talked about it and we would like to wait until the baby is born. He think we have had enough surprises, but I say there's no such thing. At least this is a happy one."

"What's going on with you two? Are you a couple or just being friendly for the baby's sake?" Sharon asked.

"We are taking things slow. He said my number one goal needs to be staying clean and sober and focusing on our baby's health. He says we have plenty of time to work on us."

"Do you have any names in mind?" Elle asked.

"We have discussed a couple, but we want to keep them a secret until the little bugger is born. Do you have anything in mind for your little bundle of joy?"

"Jason and I have a couple in mind, but we want to wait until our son is born before we make our final decision. I've suggested naming the baby Jason, but he doesn't like the idea. He wants our son to have his own identity."

"That's how Spencer feels, too. I would love to have a little Spence Jr, but he doesn't like the idea at all."

"I may not be revealing potential first names, but I will tell you my baby's last name will be Archer-Morgan. Derek and I have talked about it and our child to have my name as well."

"I think that's a wonderful idea, very modern," Sharon said.

"Your baby will certainly know its alphabet," Elle added.

The party continued happily with everyone having a wonderful time and happily debating the genders of Lila and Spencer's babies. Finally the moment of truth arrived. Lila rose from her seat and joined Spencer at the cake table, ready for the moment of truth. She already knew the answer in her heart, so she was just looking for confirmation. She walked over to Spencer and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him close. She hoped her husband would be happy, no matter what the results.

Spencer smiled at his wife and kissed her softly on the lips. The moment of truth was upon them and he hoped the results were favorable. He adored his wife and would love his children regardless, but deep down hoped the results would be in his favor. He just didn't feel that he had what it took to be a good father to boys, so for his sake he hoped their twins were girls. He gave his wife's bum a gentle pat and they took a moment to admire their cakes.

In accordance to Lila's wishes, each baby had his or her own cake and they were each adorable. The cakes were square shaped and covered in white buttercream frosting. The cakes had white dots scattered around the surface and a blue and pink frosting ribbon tied around the cakes like a present. White candy baby bottles with pink and blue lids were in the top left corner of the cake and candy babies with blue and pink hats were on the bottom right corner. The cakes were vanilla with cream cheese filling. The cream cheese was fixed with food coloring and the color of course would reveal the babies' genders.

Spencer and Lila held the knife together and cut the first cake in unison. They held their breaths, each hoping their deepest desires would come true. The knife went through the cake and everyone's eyes were closed, since they agreed a head of time not to look until that first slice of cake was cut out. That task was now completed and Spencer and Lila opened their eyes, the moment of truth upon them. As soon as Lila saw the color of the filling, she let out a happy shriek, an indication for everyone else they could open their eyes.

Tears welled in Lila's eyes and a flood of emotions pulsed through her body as she took a good, long look at the blue filling. All along her heart told her she was having a boy and seeing the confirmation in front of her was gratifying and cause for great elation. If the other baby was a girl that would be great, but knowing she would have her special little guy made her life complete. Images of mudpies, boy scouts, little league, and itty bitty glasses and sweater vests filled her mind. She looked over at her husband, a happy smile on her face, hoping he was as excited as her. What she saw instead took her by surprise and caused her stomach to tighten.

Spencer was staring at the baby blue filling, unsure of how to react. On one hand, he was happy to know the gender of one of his children and was pleased this news would gratify his wife. On the other hand, the prospect of having at least one son scared him senseless. He didn't know how he was going to relate to a normal, active boy, provided that his kids in fact _were _normal. There was a lot at stake with this pregnancy and he wasn't one hundred percent certain there would be a happy ending.

Seeing the answer to one of his questions in cream cheese made their situation very real and for once, the fear was starting to take over. Knowing the genders of his children made them real people, not just mystical little beings hidden in his wife's body. His wife had two little people inside of her and their prognosis was a big unknown. Noticing his wife was staring at him, he forced a smile onto his face and gave her arm a little squeeze.

"We're having a boy," he said, not knowing what else to say and decided the obvious was his best choice.

Before Lila could respond, their guests were chanting for them to cut the other cake, so they did. Spencer was hoping to see pink, but didn't think the odds were in his favor, so it wasn't a great surprise when the filling of that cake was blue as well. He was happy his wife had gotten her wish, but didn't know how he was going to cope. Before long his home was going to be filled with little boys and he had no idea what he was going to do with them.

Lila stared at her husband as tears filled her eyes. She had long known his apprehension about having sons, but seeing his displeasure broke her heart. She had grown up feeling unloved and unwanted and the prospect of her beloved sons having such a life was more than she could bare. She turned towards the cake, wiping her eyes as Spencer looked away. Their guests were studying them closely and the non profilers in the bunch hoped their silence meant they were delightedly awe struck by the news. The profilers of course knew differently. Ashley walked over to her sister and wrapped her arms around her, giving her a hug.

"Congratulations, sis, two boys! That's just what you wanted."

"Right, just what I wanted," Lila said, looking and feeling like a balloon whose air was slowly leaking. She looked at her sister and cousins, who were eyeing her with concern. "I'm feeling a little tired. Would you mind if I went off to bed?"

"Not at all, Lila-bear, your health and the health of your children come first. Do you want me to come up with you?" Ashley asked.

"If it's all the same to you, Ash, I'd rather be alone right now. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude, but I've had a long day and I think the babies need some quiet time. Thank you so much for the party. It was beautiful and I appreciate all of your hard work. You poured your heart into this and I will never forget that."

"My pleasure sis," Ashley said, staring at her sister with concerned eyes as she slowly made her way up the stairs. She exchanged glances with Emma and Stella, not really knowing what to say or do. The ladies simply shrugged, at a loss themselves.

"Are you alright, Spencer?" Gideon asked Spencer, who was playing with the tablecloth.

"Hmm? Oh yes, absolutely. It's just kind of overwhelming, you know, knowing the gender of my children I mean."

"Children are a blessing Spencer, regardless of their gender. These boys could fill your life with great joy, if you let them."

Before Spencer could react, Hotch approached them, that familiar grave look on his face. "Spencer, I hate to interrupt, but a new case has come in."

"Yes, of course Hotch. I'm on my way," Spencer said, still jumbled with emotion as he silently followed his team out the door.


	75. Chapter 75 Austin's Plan

Chapter Seventy-Five-Austin's Plan

"When schemes are laid in advance, it is surprising how often the circumstances fit in with them."~ William Osler

It was a week later and Spencer was sitting at Austin's dining room table. He had just gotten back from a case and he was physically and emotionally exhausted. After the party, the BAU jetted off to Toledo to investigate the torture and murder of young boys. The image of their bloodied, lifeless bodies left him badly shaken, his thoughts zoning in on his own boys.

The team was barely given a chance to recover because within an hour of returning to Quantico, they were sent off to San Francisco for another case. This one involved the kidnapping and murder of pregnant women, which wasn't exactly helpful to Spencer's psyche. Spencer had just arrived back in Quantico when Austin texted him, asking if he wanted to meet her at her place. He knew he should probably head straight home, but he needed some time to decompress. His home wasn't exactly a haven at the moment, due to his lackluster reaction to their babies gender and because he hadn't called her the entire time he was away.

He was just so incredibly busy and didn't want any friction between him and his wife to impede his ability to solve his cases. He thought this if he spent some time with Austin, venting and having a glass or wine or two, he would feel more relaxed and more able to face his wife and mend things with her. Another reason he decided to see Austin was because he felt he needed another woman's perspective and that Austin's point of view wouldn't be as biased as Ashley's, Emma's, or Stella's. It was nice to know there was a woman he could talk to that wasn't as emeshed into the situation as the others in his life.

Austin had left work early so she could prepare for her evening with Spencer. In preparation for his visit, she had prepared a beautiful, delicious chicken dinner for the two of them to enjoy together. The table was set beautifully with candles and the classical music Spencer loved wafted through the air. Austin herself looked stunning in a short, strapless black dress. Her makeup was smoky and her hair was worn down against her shoulders.

She looked hot and knew it. It was only a matter of time before Spencer knew it too and couldn't resist her. Thankfully Lila had already broken him in for her, so she didn't have to deal with his virginal fumblings again. She smiled at her dinner companion, her fingertip circling around her wine glass as they continued speaking.

"Thanks again for inviting me to dinner, Austin, I really appreciate it. After the week I've had I need a distraction."

"It's my pleasure, Spencer," Austin replied, refilling his wine glass. "I know how hard you work. You deserve some downtime."

"This past week has just been so difficult, Austin. We had two cases back to back and I don't know if i'm just more sensitive now that I'm married with a family, but the Unsubs seem to get more and more depraved. These last two cases have haunted me, Austin. The sight of all those dead women and children made me think of Lila and our babies. If I ever lost her, I...I don't know what I would do."

Austin remained silent as Spencer continued speaking. "I know I haven't been the best husband lately, but I adore her. I know she is hurt and angry over my reaction to the babies's gender, but I do love them. The prospect of having sons scares me to death, but I do love them."

"Oh Spencer, of course you love your boys," Austin replied, scooting her chair so she was right next to him. "it's just that the idea of having them scares you because you never had a strong bond with your own father. And with all of the complications Lila has been having lately, I don't blame you for being scared. In fact, I'm certain the difficulties with her pregnancy are making it difficult to form a bond with them. There is a real possibility you could lose your boys and you know the closer you become to them the more it will hurt if you."

Spencer nodded, tears filling his eyes. Austin wrapped her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm trying to put on a brave face for Lila, but inside I am absolutely terrified. If anything were to happen to our babies, I...I don't think she would ever recover. It would be devastating for me as well, but I'm sure it would be ten times harder for her. She is the one who is carrying our children and they are apart of her. I would do anything to save her from that kind of pain."

"You're such a good man, Spencer. You are so sweet, kind, generous, loving..."

As she spoke, she fingered the collar of Spencer's shirt and stroked his head. Spencer remained still and gratefully accepted her comfort. There was never a time in his life where he needed a friend more and he was so thankful he had Austin to lean on. She gently kissed his forehead and he stiffled a yawn. The workload and emotional stress he had been dealing with lately was finally catching up with him. Austin noticed this and a smile spread across her lips.

"Poor Spencer, are you tired? Would you like to lay down?"

"That sounds wonderful, Austin, but I should probably head home. I think I'm okay to drive and I'm sure she's worried sick about me."

"Spencer, honey, you are in no condition to drive. You are exhausted and you have been drinking, which is not a good combination. Why don't you just stay here tonight and go home tomorrow? You have your go bag so you can change into fresh clothing and this is a much safer option than driving."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Spencer agreed. He rose from his seat, stumbling a bit in the process. He wasn't intoxicated, but he was feeling a little tipsy and the exhaustion was catching up with him. Austin stood up and grabbed his arms to steady him. "would it be alright if I took a shower and went to sleep? I must be more tired than I realized."

"Absolutely, Spence, go right ahead. While you're in the shower, I'll fix up the couch for you."

"That would be great, Austin, thank you."

Austin turned to face the table, a smirk spreading across her face as Spencer walked to the restroom. Her plan was in motion and going better than she could have hoped. She heard him turn on the shower and she slowly made her way down the hall. If Spencer saw her she could just say she was getting extra blankets and pillows from the hall closet, but in reality she was hoping for a sneak peak of what she would be sampling later. She stealthfully cracked open the bathroom door and let her eyes drink their fill of the very sexy, very wet, very naked agent in her shower.

Her shower door was made of sliding glass, so nothing was left to the imagination. Spencer must have been working out or something because he wasn't as gangly as she remembered. He was still slender, but had some tone to his frame as well. She allowed her eyes to wander south, to the main prize, which was quite a sight to behold. His manhood was impressive enough flaccid, so she knew she was in for a treat when it was fully erect.

As much as she wanted to slide out of her dress and join him, she knew everything had a place and time and it wasn't now. She quietly shut the door and went about fixing up the sofa, as if he would be getting any sleep. By the time Spencer emerged from the bathroom, freshly scrubbed and clad in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, Austin had pulled out her couch so it was now a bed. Sheets were placed over the mattress and the bed was beautifully made with extra blankets. Two pillows completed the look, as did Austin, who was looking quite sexy in a wine colored, spaghetti strapped lingerie.

It barely covered her thighs and the lace on top barely concealed her breasts. She smiled at him and stood up, doing her best to look innocent. Since he and Lila hadn't made love in weeks she knew he would be ripe for the picking. Spencer was taken aback when he saw her, not at all expecting her to be wearing that sort of sleeping attire. As much as he adored Lila and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world, he had to admit Austin looked pretty good as well.

"Austin, the bed looks wonderful. Thank you so much for being so accomodating," he said.

"It's my pleasure, Spencer. Do you need anything for I go my room?"

"I'm set, Austin, thank you for asking. You are a good friend."

"So are you, sweetie," Austin said, opening her arms for a hug.

Spencer hugged her back and the embrace lasted for several seconds before Spencer decided it was time to pull away. As he moved backward, Austin was still holding onto him so they stumbled backwards and landing on the sofa bed. Spencer landed on his back and Austin fell right on top of him, her breasts right in front of his face. Spencer wrapped his hands around her bare arms and placed her onto the mattress, looking her over with concern.

"Are you alright, Austin?" he asked. "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"Of course not, Spence, I'm fine," Austin said with a giggle. "it takes more than a simple fall to get me down, if you'll pardon the expression."

Spencer smiled and gently pulled her up. Austin exaggerated her movements so she lunged forward further than she needed to. Spencer grabbed her arms and the two locked eyes. They sat motionless, their eyes boring into each other while each waited for the other to react. Finally, Austin decided she had Spencer right where she wanted him, so she moved her face towards his and kissed him on the lips. Spencer was shocked at first, not expecting this, but at the same time not making any effort to pull away.

He knew he should push her away, but the exhaustion and three glasses of wine were impairing his judgement and her lips felt so soft and warm. She continued kissing him, allowing her tongue to enter his mouth and he let out a moan. He could feel his erection growing and he threaded his fingers through her soft brown hair. He knew what he was doing was wrong and the guilt was already starting to set in, but at the same time she was so warm and inviting. As Good Reid and Bad Reid internally duked it out, Austin's mouth continued her assault on his.

What they didn't know at the time was that someone was watching them, someone who didn't find their little performance very enjoyable. In fact, this person had tears streaming down her face as she clutched her very pregnant belly for support. The months of suspicion and hurt were finally confirmed in this very moment. The betrayal was excrutiating and she felt as if someone had ripped her heart out and set her on fire. She stumbled away, heartbroken and bleeding as Spencer and Austin continued kissing.


	76. Chapter 76 Spencer's Betrayal

Chapter Seventy-Six-Spencer's Betrayal

"The betrayal of trust carries a heavy taboo."~ Aldrich Ames

Spencer and Austin continued kissing, their tongues dancing together in a passionate frenzy. Austin was delighted at the marked improvement in his oral skills, something she hoped he would put to the test in different ways. She gently raked her nails over the back of his neck, causing him to moan in pleasure. They laid onto the mattress, holding each other close as mouths continued their illicit dance. Austin allowed her hands to slip up his t-shirt and allowed her fingernails to graze his nipples.

She smiled as she felt Spencer's hardness against her leg. As large as he appeared in the shower, he seemed to double in size and she couldn't wait to see it in person. She turned from her side onto her back, bringing Spencer down on top of her. She smiled in satisfaction as his mouth clamped down on her neck, kissing and sucking on her skin. His hand reached up to cup one of her breasts and she quivered as his thumb played with her nipples.

Spencer didn't know what he was doing or what he was thinking, but at the moment he just couldn't stop himself. Austin felt so amazing and he was grateful for the distraction. Everything else in his life was in turmoil, so he was grateful to have some sort of escape. He continued to kiss and suck on Austin's neck and it wasn't long until her flesh was branded by his desire. He moved his mouth lower and traced his tongue down her chest.

Austin quicky removed her nightie and Spencer was shocked to see her completely nude. She reached over and pulled his t-shirt over his head, throwing it onto the floor. She ran her hands up and down his bare chest and Spencer moaned, biting on his lower lip. He hadn't felt such an intimate caress in so long and Austin's touch was indescribable. Austin smirked, knowing she had Spencer right where she wanted him.

He wasn't as chisled or muscular as the other men she had been with, but he was still toned and attractive in his own way. He wasn't like any man she had ever known she realized that could be a very positive thing. He may not be as suave or conventionally handsome as her former lovers, but he was sweet, kind, attentive, and from what she discovered tonight, an excellent kisser. Once he was hers, she could get to work on making a few necessary changes, but overall he was pretty appealing. She reached for his hand and rested it between her legs, aching to feel his fingers explore her.

The last time they were intimate, which was when they were dating over a year ago, he wasn't as assertive or knowledgable as he was now. He was so nervous about touching her that after a while it became more irritating than endearing. Austin didn't know how Lila had endured such sophomoric fumbling, but she was thankful to her blonde nemesis for working out his kinks. She watched as Spencer eyed her naked body with apparent pleasure and knew at that moment he was hers. He ran his fingers along her inner thighs, causing her to squirm a bit.

"You are such a tease, Spencer Reid," she said, arching her hips towards him and grabbing his hand, resting it on her nether region.

"And you are just...brazen," he replied, tracing his finger along her entrance, feeling the warmth and heat that hid within.

"It's all because of you, Spencer. You are so sexy and just looking at you makes me wet. Go ahead and touch me. You know you want to."

"I am touching you," he replied, his fingers skimming her flesh, but not giving her the penetration she so desperately craved.

"You know what I mean, Spencer. Don't you want to feel my warm, wet pussy against your fingers? Don't you want to explore me with your tongue before shoving that big, hard cock of yours inside of me? I know it's been a long, long time since you've enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh and I am offering them up to you. Take me, Spencer, I am yours."

Before Spencer could respond, she reached over and pulled down his boxers, feeling herself grow even wetter at the sight of his large erection. Although his bicepts were no contest against her former lovers', his cock would put any other man's to shame. It was so long and thick she couldn't believe it was real. He was just incredible and she couldn't want to have him shove it inside of her. She reached over and wrapped her hand around his erection, moving it up and down.

Spencer cried out at the pleasure pulsating through his slender frame. Her hand felt so amazing and he could feel his pleasure already mounting. He pushed her onto her back and wrapped her legs around his waist. As he ran the tip of his cock against her entrance, Austin ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him passionately on the lips. She had wanted more foreplay, but loved how he could no longer contain himself. Besides, she was wet enough and just wanted them to start fucking already. She knew he had work in the morning and was hoping for a couple of rounds of passion before he left.

"Yes, that's it baby, shove that big, hard cock of yours inside of me. Go ahead baby, fuck me long and hard all night long. I know you need a good lay and I'm here for you."

Spencer had just eased the head of his cock into her slick, wet folds when the word "baby" finally slapped him back into reality. He immediately pushed back and jumped off the couch, looking at Austin as if she was a rattlesnake. His already fair complexion lost what little color it had and he looked sick to his stomach.

"Spencer, baby, what's wrong? If you concerned about the whole birthcontrol thing, don't be. I'm on the pill."

That was actually not true. In order to give herself an addition edge, Austin was taking pre natal vitamins, as well as fertility drugs. Considering the serious nature of the complications surrounding Lila's pregnancy, Austin figured her babies weren't going to survive, which was fine by Austin. It wasn't that she felt an ill will towards the children, but if they died, that would guarantee Spencer a fresh start with no ties to the past. And if Austin did conceive tonight, which was a strong possibility since she was ovulating, she figured Spencer would be all hers and never look back.

"Austin, this has nothing to do with birth control. I'm a married man! I love my wife more than anything and-oh God, what was I thinking?" he hurriedly threw on his clothes and ran towards the door. Austin wrapped her body in a sheet and followed after him, grabbing his arm.

"Spencer, will you please calm down and come back inside? It's late and you are in condition to be driving. Just sleep on the couch and I'll go back to my room. It's okay, Spence, you didn't do anythinf wrong. There's nothing wrong with a little affection between friends."

"'Affection is a quick hug or a peck on the cheek. I just cheated on my wife-my wonderful, loving, *pregnant* wife, whom I love more than anything. I may not have been the best husband as of late, but I do love her, and I can't believe I did this. Austin, I...I have to go. I think it's best if we don't see each other anymore. I hope you understand."

Austin simply stood still, her mouth hanging open as Spencer ran out of her apartment. She stood at the doorway watching as all her months of planning slipped more and more out of sight, all of her hard work for nothing. She slammed the door and stormed into her dining room, frustrated tears streaming down her face. She looked at the table, where the remnents of their supper remained and swiped a frustrated arm towards them. As left over food and china smashed against the wall, she pounded her fists into the wall, the feelings of anger and defeat overwhelming her slender frame.

As Spencer was working hard to earn his Douchbag of the Year award, Ashley was puttering around the kitchen. She was feeling domesticated so she thought it would be fun to make a homemade cherry crumble for Spencer, since that was his favorite dessert. She absolutely adored her brother-in-law and wanted to do something nice for him as a way of thanking him for letting her stay in his house. She had dozed off earlier that evening so she didn't know Lila had left the house. If she had known Lila was contemplating going against doctor's orders and taking a hiatus from bedrest, she would have down what she could to prevent it.

As far as she knew her sister was sound asleep in her room, which is Ashley's opinion was where she belonged. Ashley removed the pie from the oven and held it up to her nose for a lingering sniff. It smelled absolutely wonderful and it was nice to know she could make more in a kitchen than whoopie. As she was placing the pie on the counter and turning off the oven, she heard the door slam behind her. She jumped back in surprise and whirled around to see who was causing the commotion.

She was shocked to see Lila storming into the house, tears streaming down her face. Her face was completely ashen and she looked as though her entire world had ended. She ran up the stairs, sobbing hysterically and doubling over ever so often from the sheer weight of her heartbreak.

"Lila, honey, what's wrong? What happened? Where did you go?" Ashley asked, following after her sister as best she could, which wasn't easy given her condition.

Lila didn't answer and continued running, a heavy stream of tears pouring uncontrollably down her face. Sobs heaved from her body as she ran towards her bedroom, draining away whatever energy she may have had. She was just about to enter her bedroom when Ashley caught up with her, grabbing her by the arms.

"Lila, for the love of God will you tell me what's wrong? Did someting happen to the babies? Did something happen to Spencer?"

As soon as Ashley mentioned Spencer's name, Lila fell into her sister's arms and buried her face into her neck. Ashley led Lila into her bedroom and eased her onto the bed. She held her sister tight and rubbed her back until she was able to find the words to explain what was happening.

"Lila-Bear, talk to me, what happened? Is it Spencer? Did he get injured on a case?" Ashley asked, her stomach churning out of concern for her brother-in-law.

"N...no! Spencer isn't on a case! He's on his slutty, whorish bartender Austin. I guess he *has* found a way to avoid paying his bar tab."

"Lila, what are you talking about? I know Spence can be a little inconsiderate at times, but he *loves* you and nothing that skank tries to pull can change that. She may flirt with him a little bit, but all that matters is is how *he* responds to that. Hell, *I* flirt with him constantly and *I'm* his s.i.l.!" (sister-in-law for those who were left confused by those initials.)

"I know you flirt with him, but the difference is I haven't walked in on the two of you making out on a pull out sofa!"

Ashley looked at her quizzically as Lila continued, her short lived composure dissipating. As she told her sister what she witnessed, something began to shift within Ashley. At one point she had idolized Spencer, calling him the older brother she never had. She'd thought he was wonderful and could do no wrong. He was the man she admired most, other than her father prior to their little spat. She thanked God everyday for spending Spencer into Lila's life and told him all the time how good he was for her.

Now, however, those happy feelings had changed. Spencer had gone from her wonderful, amazing, sainty brother-in-law to the person Ashley hated most in this world. She hated Spencer for betraying his wife, especially at a tim when she needed him most. She hated that he spent all of his free time with some bar slut as opposed to being with his wife. She also hated that she had put her trust in him and it was misplaced.

Despite Ashley's vast, extensive history of carnel desire, she didn't actually trust very many men. In her experience, men were dogs who only wanted one thing and couldn't be trusted. When she met Spencer, however, something about him was different and she trusted him right away, which was a first for her. She thought he was amazing and continued to believe so even when Lila doubted him. To know that she had been wrong and played a part in supporting his dispicable behavior sicked Ashley.

She hated that Lila had been right all along and she was too stubborn to listen to her. She wished she had listened to Lila's suspicions and helped her work through them as opposed to seeing only the good in him. Spencer had broken Ashley's trust and and once Ashley's trust was gone, it was gone forever. Suddenly Lila jumped from the bed and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Ashley ran after her and banged on the door, terrified of what her sister might do.

"Lila, Lila please, for the love of God let me in!" she pleaded, banging her fists on the door.

Lila said nothing, but Ashley could hear her sister's sobs. She ran to Lila's dresser and opened a drawer, pulling out an ornate hair pin. She went back to the door and used the tip of the pin to pick the lock. It wasn't long until the door cracked open and Ashley burst into the bathroom, terrified of what she could find. Her fears were confirmed when she saw her sister standing by the sink, her back facing the door.

Ashley ran over to her and to her horror, she saw Lila had a razer blade in her hand and blood was oozing from her wrist. The wound was deep and there was no mistaking her sister's intent. Ashley tried to yank the blade from her sister's hand, but Lila pulled away, causing the blaze to slice into Ashley's fingers. Out of reflex, Ashley let go, hissing in pain and Lila took the opportunity to cut herself a few more times. Finally, Ashley picked up the toilet plunger and smacked Lila's hand with it until she finally dropped the blade.

With the weapon out of Lila's hands, Ashley grabbed her sister and forcibly dragged her out of the bathroom. She pushed her onto the bed and pulled two pillow cases off of nearby pillows so she could wrap one around Lila's wrist and the other around her own hand. As she tightly held onto Lila, who was sobbing and screaming apologizes in between reacting to the mess that was her life, she picked up the phone and dialed a number she knew really well. Out of anyone she could have chosen to call, Ashley felt that this person was her best option.


	77. Chapter 77 Ramifications

Chapter Seventy-Seven-Ramifications

"Nobody ever did, or ever will, escape the consequences of his choices."~Alfred A. Montapert

It was a week later and Spencer was pulling into his driveway, a flood of emotions racing through him as he turned off his car. Usually he was thrilled to be home and couldn't wait to fall into the embrace of his family, but now he was churning inside. Ever since that fateful night with Austin, he had been an emotional wreck, overcome with guilt and self loathing. He hated himself for betraying his wife and using Austin. Not a moment went by where he didn't replay the events of that evening, wishing with all his heart he could go back in time and change his actions.

He would gladly crawl through the hottest pit in hell to take back his horrendous actions and be the husband his wife deserved. He was so overcome with remorse he couldn't even bring himself to call Lila while he was away, since he didn't feel worthy of hearing his wife's voice or the wonderful, kind things she said about him. She may think he was wonderful, but he felt like the world's biggest loser. If anyone deserved to top his sister-in-law's Douchbag List it was certainly him. He picked the bouquet of red roses up from the passenger seat, knowing the flowers could never make up for what he did, but hoping they would demonstate just how much he cared for her.

He trudged towards the front door, feeling sick to his stomach and hoping his wife wouldn't notice his dejected demeanor. The case he worked on this week was almost pleasant in comparison to the way he was feeling. He took a deep breath and put his key in the keyhold, turning it so the door would creak open. Spencer entered his home, flowers in hand and ready to face his wife. Before he had a chance to greet the woman he loved, however, he was forced to contend with something he hadn't expected.

Spencer had been in the FBI for many years and as a result, he learned to never let life event's take him by surprise. However, life hadn't adaquetly prepared him for a fist slamming into his jaw within moments of entering his own home. He fell backwards, hitting his head against the door and dropping the bouquet of flowers, causing them to scatter everywhere. His head snapped up and he drew his weapon, readying himself to face a crazed home invador. What he found before him was much worse, not to mention scarier.

His attacker wasn't a crazed home invader or serial killer waiting in the wings. The person who had aquainted their fist to his jaw was non other than his *very* angry, *very* scary, *very* hellbent on murderous revenge sister-in-law Ashley. Some women were delicate flowers during their pregnancies, lounging about and lovingly stroking their bellies as their slipped into mommy-to-be nirvana. Ashley, however, was clearly not one of those women because now she had a fire poker in her hands and was swinging it at him like a star baseball player would attack an incoming baseball. She swang vigerously, issuing strings of profanity-laced anger as she continuously missed him.

Spencer continued to dodge her, holding his hands up in self defense and moving backwards towards the living room. Ashley finally succeeded in bashing him rather hard in the skull and as he collapsed onto the sofa, Ashley immediately jumped on top of him, having retrieved the firearm had dropped when she first attacked him. She pressed it firmly against his forehead and he closed his eyes wincing, considering that part of his anatomy was rather sensitive for very obvious reasons.

"Ashley! W...what the hell is going on? It's me, Spencer, your brother-in-law," he said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"I know perfectly well who the fuck you are you stupid, worthless, good for nothing piece of shit motherfucker!" she hissed pistol whipping him with the firearm. Ashley was an excellent markswoman, having won several contests in New York and even teaching classes on Saturdays.

"Ashley, Ashley please, just give me..."

"I don't have to give you anything! I HATE YOU! HOW DARE YOU CHEAT ON MY SISTER WITH THAT NASTY GUTTERSNIPE! YOU MARRIED A QUEEN AND BETRAYED HER A PIECE OF DIRT OFF OF HER SHOE! WHAT THE FUCK IS THE *MATTER* WITH YOU? SHE'S CARRYING *YOUR* BABIES YOU HEARTLESS PIECE OF SHIT!"

"How do you know what happened?" Spencer asked, not bothering to deny his actions, mostly because of his remorse, but also in part to the fact that he was trying to stave off her attacks.

"I know what happened because *YOUR WIFE* SAW YOU, YOU ASSHOLE! She was concerned because you still hadn't come home and she missed you, so she got out of bed to go look for you! She defied Dr. MG's orders for bedrest to roam the streets for the stupid, selfish husband who can't be bothered to stay home with her! She knew your meeting had long since ended, so she went to Austin's bar and when you weren't there, she went to Austin's apartment and finally found your car. She dragged her pregnant ass up three flights of stairs trying to find you, only to have her efforts rewarded by..."

"I know what I did, Ashley, and believe me when I say I am so, so, *so* sorry. I adore Lila and the babies and the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt them."

"Yeah, you didn't seem so concerned for Lila's well being when you were on top of your disease ridden whore. Do you have *any* idea what you put my sister through? Well, DO YOU?"

Before Spencer had a chance to respond, Ashley continued her hated-filled monologue. "When Lila came home I was in the middle of making your sorry ass a pie-a cherry crumble pie since I know how much you love them and at some point I loved and cared about you-when Lila came bursting through the door, sobbing her eyes out. She looked as if her heart was broken and her world had ended."

Tears filled her eyes and emotion tightened her throat, but she forced herself to continue, wanting Spencer to understand the gravity of his actions. "My sister has been through *hell* since the day she was born, but I can honestly say I have *never* seen her that upset. She told me what you did, but I couldn't believe it, since I honestly believed you were one of the good guys. Out of the millions and millions of douchbags in the world, I thought you were someone we could trust."

With the gun still firmly pressed to his head, she continued speaking, telling him about how Lila cut herself and how she called Dr. MG for help. She knew 911 would inevibably become involved, but she wanted her sister to have a professional present that geninuely cared about her and would set her at ease. Lila was commited to a psychiatric facility for a seventy-two observation. She was released on the condition that she would increase her amount of visits to Dr. Soshi and have her medication increased. Lila agreed to the conditions, although she didn't see the point because she felt her entire world was over.

After her discharge from the hospital, she remained in her room, too heartbroken to venture out into the world. Ashley never left her side and even Veronica, Stella, and Emma made frequent visits. Lila appreciated their support, but Spencer's betrayal had left her badly shaken and heartbroken. He had brought light into her dark, depressing world and she was stupid enough to believe she would bask in its warm glow forever. Being cast back into dark, cold reality was unbearable and she was kicking herself for even entertaining the notion a man could truly love her.

Tears were streaming down Spencer's face. He had never felt so low as he did at this moment, the ramifications of his actions hitting him like a bus. He hated that he caused his wife so much pain and that his selfishness was putting the health of his sons in jeopardy as well. He was an awful person and there weren't nearly enough lifetimes to make up for all the pain he had caused.

"Spencer, save those tears for someone who give a shit. You broke my sister's heart and put her and my nephews' lives in jeopardy as a result," her grip on the gun was steady and her normally blue eyes, now blackened with hatred, bore deeply into his. She glowered at him and a deathly calm settled over her, the final decision made. "as far as I'm concerned, you don't deserve to live."

Spencer squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the click that would end all of their suffering when an outside force gave him a stay of execution.

"Ashley, let him go."

Ashley and Spencer looked up to see Lila standing in the doorway leading from the living room into the kitchen. She was wearing a pale grey sweatsuit that hung on her frame, despite her growing abdomen. The pallor of her skin was highlighted by the paleness of her ensemble and she looked as if the life had been sucked out of her, as if her soul had been ripped from her body. The anguish on her face broke Spencer's heart and he wished more than anything he could make things right. Ashley shoved him off the couch and she walked over to Lila, wrapping a protective arm around her. Lila looked pointedly at her sister so she dutifully placed the fire poker and firearm on the kitchen counter.

"Lila, I..." Spencer began, but Lila shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"Save your lies and excuses, Spencer, I know the truth. How could you *do* that to me?"

"Lila, please believe me when I tell you I regret ever having spoken to Austin. Lila, you and our sons mean everything to me and I will do whatever it takes to make things right."

Lila looked down and shook her head, trying to wipe away the sea of tears falling from her eyes, but her efforts were in vain since the tears kept coming.

"If the boys and I *really* mattered to you, you would come home to us every night after work and your meetings, *not* rush off to meet your girlfriend. I have done everything in my power to be a good wife to you-I cook, clean, socialize with your colleagues, and do everything in my power to make this house a warm, safe environment for you. I'm in counseling to conquer my demons and I have read every possible book, magazine, and blog to ready myself for motherhood and be the perfect mother to our babies!"

"Lila, none of this is your fault! You are amazing and I am lucky to have you in my life. Don't blame yourself."

"You abandoned me as soon as you went back to work. I understand you are busy running off to save the world, but even the all-powerful BAU agent could have spared five minutes for a damn phone call! This way of life is new for me and you haven't been here for me! When Ashley and I were abandoned by Harry and Debra and needed your comfort and support, you couldn't get out of this house fast enough! Your boss offered you time off so you could help me take care of Ashley, but you were too caught up in what *you* wanted to do, as usual.

I'm such a low priority in your life that I had to ask my sister to take me to my doctor's appointment because I knew you wouldn't care enough to come! *Ashley* was by my side when Dr. Gubler told me how grave our babies condition was, not you! She was with me when I planned by lazer treatment and even planned that party as a way to cheer my up. Ashley has her own demons to concur and needs to focus on her own recovery, yet she has to continuously pick up your slack! Everyone loves to criticise Ashley for the choices she has made in her life, but at least she accepts responsibility for her actions and provides unconditional love and support for those she loves.

I could have *died* the night I witnessed your betrayal, but she put her own well being in jeopardy trying to save me. *Ashley* was the one who called Dr. Matthew-Gubler for help: Ashley was the one who had me admitted to the hospital and never left my side. You may look your nose down at my sister and think of her as little more than a joke, but she has been there for me in ways you cannot began to imagine. The babies and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Ashley, not that you care.

You lie to me and never tell me about your work or life outside of this house. The thing that breaks my heart the most is the indifference with which you treat our sons. As soon as you found out our babies were boys you lost all interest in them. You lament about your own troubled childhood and your inability to relate to boys, but what about them? They didn't choose to be conceived and they sure as *hell* didn't choose you as their father, so why hold them accountable for your own problems?

Children need love and stability-you of all people should know this! How could you ignore our children in their hour of need for your own selfish needs? Our boys are fighting for their lives and you're off gallavanting with your mistress! Say whatever you want about your father, but at least *he* never cheated on your mother. He abandoned you because he genuinely believed he was doing the two of you a favor, but your behavior stems from nothing but selfishness! You are a selfish, heartless, cruel, pathetic excuse of a husband and father and I have had enough!"

Spencer watched, heartbroken and shellshocked as Lila walked over to the kitchen counter to retrieve some paperwork. She walked back over and handed the documents to him. He looked down at the documents in his hands and almost fell over when they realized they were divorce papers. The physical agony he suffered as a result of his sister-in-law's assault paled in comparison to the knowledge that he had lost the only woman he had ever really loved. Lila was his world and his selfishness had cost him the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He watched as she removed her wedding and engagement rings and placed them in his hands. He wished with all his heart he could go back in time and make different choices, but realized all the apologizes in the world couldn't undo the pain he had inflicted on her.

"Spencer, our marriage is over and I want a divorce."


	78. Chapter 78 Fears into Fruition

Chapter Seventy-Eight-Fears into Fruition

"Fear: a feeling of distress, apprehension, or alarm caused by impending danger and pain."~ World English Dictionary

The weeks flew by and before everyone knew it it was Thanksgiving. Holidays had never really been Lila's thing since she always felt out of place and as though she didn't belong anywhere. This year was no exception, but this time it was worse because for a brief period of time she *had* known what it was like to be loved, to have someone want and value her. That part of her life was now over and she didn't know how or if she could carry on. In fact, if it wasn't for Ashley, Lila knew in her heart that she still wouldn't be alive.

Everything rude, evil, vile thing Arabella had ever said turned out to be accurate. Lila really was an awful, useless, good for nothing waste of space that caused grief everywhere she went. If she was better, smarter, more confident, more equipped, Spencer could have confided in her and shared his world with her instead of having to turn to that whore for companionship. Spencer's betrayal left her battered, broken, and bleeding, but knowing she had pushed him in that direction made it that much worse. If her babies survived this difficult, dangerous pregnancy they would have to grow up in a broken home and it was all her fault.

Lila couldn't bear to face anyone, so it was just her and Ashley this year. Despite the lack of guests, Ashley still wanted to make this day as pleasurable as possible for Lila, so she was preparing a delicious meal for the two of them enjoy. Well, prepare might be a misleading term, but she did order it and pay for it all by herself, *and* she was going to retrieve it from the delivery man as soon as he arrived at their front door. Ashley was currently downstairs in the living room, since Lila told her she couldn't bear her hovering for one more second. She knew her reprieve would be short lived, but she was still grateful for a few minutes to herself so she could dwell in her dark thoughts. She knew Ashley was just trying to help, but if her sister said one more uplifting thing she was going to throw her out the window.

After that fateful night with Spencer, both women moved out of the house Lila shared with him and into the home Ashley purchased in Washington D.C. Ashley's house was lovely and she was working hard to make it a cozy, welcoming environment for herself and her family. Despite her macobre mood, Lila loved her bedroom and thought Ashley and Zoey did a wonderful job designing it. The walls were a soft petal pink and flowy white curtains hung from the windows. The furniture was white and traditional in design.

Lila's bed was a canopy, which was her absolute favorite, and she appreciated the thought and care her sister put into designing this room. She had even designed a room for Lila's boys, which was right beside Lila's. Lila insisted she wasn't going to live with her sister forever, but it was comforting to know at least one person in the world wanted her around. She shifted in bed, trying to make herself comfortable. Her pregnancy was growing more and more uncomfortable everyday, but she was grateful that her sons were fairing well.

She was twenty-four weeks and one day into her pregnancy and falling more and more in love with her boys everyday. She regretted that Spencer wasn't as enamored with her pregnancy and the boys as she would have liked, but she would do everything in her power to ensure that her boys felt loved, wanted, and valued everyday of their lives. She had known the sting of an unhappy childhood, of knowing that her parents wished she was never born, and she would sooner die than pass that on to her boys. They were still in utero and she constantly told them how much she loved them and couldn't wait to meet them. No matter what the future held or how uninvolved or disinterested Spencer was in her and their children, she would always be thankful to him for her boys.

"Happy Thanksgiving, boys," Lila replied, laying on her back and reaching into her nightstand for a bottle of cocoa butter lotion.

During her pregnancy she had gotten into the habit of rubbing her belly and talking to her babies and decided they should enjoy their first Thanksgiving pow wow. As she rubbed her belly with one hand, she picked up her journal with the other, so she could read her latest entry. Despite the turmoil in her life, she still faithfully wrote her entries. In fact, she considered her journal to be a godsent, since it provided her a safe outlet to unleash her pain.

_"November 25, 2010_

_I'm sorry your family isn't going to be what I wanted it to be. I very much wanted you to grow up in a home with two loving parents, but life doesn't always turn out the way we want it to. I do want you to know that I am always hear for you and that I love both of you very, very much. I may have had a difficult childhood and no maternal love or affection, but I promise to save both of you that same fate. The two of you will be the center of my universe and my every waking moment will be devoted to your happiness._

_I always wanted to be a mother, although I never felt I deserved such an honor, and having the two of you will complete my life. I know this pregnancy hasn't been easy for you and I understand that one or both of you may face physical or mental challenges as a result. My love for you is unconditional and I will love and support the two of you no matter what, no matter how able or limited you are. I love you both and I am already so proud to call myself your mother."_

After Lila finished reading her entry, she shut the journal and placed it on her nightstand, along with her lotion. She was suddenly feeling tired and decided a nap before dinner would help lift her spirits. She kissed her index and middle fingers and placed them on her belly. She could feel the boys move, but they weren't as active as they once were, which Dr. MG said was normal at this stage of her pregnancy. She told her how to track the twins' movements and Lila was satisfied that they were alright. She closed her eyes and fell into a dark, dreamless slumber.

It was about two hours later when Lila suddenly awakened from her slumber. She knew as soon as she opened her eyes something wasn't quite right, but she wasn't sure what is was. She moved her body upward so she could rest her back against the headboard, but her movements were becoming more and more uncomfortable. She gripped her sheets and used every ounce of her strength to push herself up. With her goal finally obtained, she rested her hands on her belly and that was when she found the source of her anxiety.

She was used to her twins becoming less active, but now they weren't moving at all. She grabbed her stomach and shook it, cold fear shooting down her spine. As difficult as it was to lose Spencer, she couldn't live another moment without her boys. She frantically slapped her stomach and was rewarded with some slight movement, but not enough to give her piece of mind. She slowly and painsakingly forced herself out of bed, still in pain but too concerned for the well being of her sons to care. She stumbled her way to the top of the staircase and screamed frantically for her sister.

Ashley was puttering in the kitchen, arranging their meal onto plates that she planned to bring upstairs so her sister could remain in bed. Their pre made Thanksgiving feast arrived just minutes ago and Ashley could hardly wait to dig in. Thanksgiving was a cherished holiday to Ashley because aside from the fact she loved all holidays, including Arbor Day, it was the one day out of the year where she claimed she could stuff herself silly and no one would judge her. When she heard her sister's desperate cries, however, fantasies about succulent turkey and gourmet pumpkin pie immediately became irrelevent. She dropped a container holding mashed potatoes and ran to the stairs, moving at an astounding pace despite her condition.

"Lila, what the hell are you doing? What's going on? What's wrong!" Ashley demanded, knowing the possibilities and scared to death to hear the answer.

"Ashley, Ashley, please help me, my babies...!"

"Lila, stay where you are and I'll hlep you. What's wrong with your babies?"

"I...I..."

Lila was still making her way down the stairs, but somehow lost her footing and fell the rest of the way down. She landed in a heap at the feet of her very horrified, terrified sister, who fell to her knees and turned her sister over so she could assess the damage.

"Oh my God, Lila, are you okay? What's happening? Why didn't you wait for me?"

Lila looked into her sister's eyes with such naked fear it made Ashley's hair stand on ends. Ashley wasn't easily scared or intimidated, but the look in her sister's eyes was enough to make her blood run cold.

"Ashley, I...I can't feel my babies moving."

Ashley felt as if she had been hit by a truck. She loved Lila and loved her babies as much as she loved her own. The prospect of anything happening to them shook Ashley to her core and she didn't know what she would do without all three of them. Although she was shaken on the inside, she forced herself to appear calm on the outside. She didn't want to leave her sister's side, but she knew she needed to summon her, so she raced into the kitchen to grab her cellphone. She sat back on the floor and held Lila's hand as she called 911 and Dr. Matthew-Gubler. Ashley gripped the phone tightly, her knuckles turning white as she prayed for the lives of the ones she loved most.


	79. Chapter 79 Spencer's Anguish

Chapter Seventy-Nine-Spencer's Anguish

"But now let us descend to greater woe. Already every star sinks that was rising when I set out and too long stay is forbidden."~ Dante's Inferno

While Ashley and Lila were grappling with their worst fears coming to fruition, Spencer was languishing in the center of his own nine circles of Hell. Although he technically wasn't Satan, despite his sister-in-law's protests to the contrary, he knew he has commited sins that were just as tretcherous as those conducted by the infamous dweller of the underworld. He may not have defied or betrayed the Lord, but he lied, deceived, and betrayed his wife and sons, whom he pledged to love and honor for all the days of his life. He couldn't believe what a mess he made of things: for being a genius, he never felt stupider in his entire life.

After years of lonliness, he was finally blessed with the beautiful family he always wanted and threw it all away out of selfishness and stupidity. Lila was the perfect wife and he should have trusted her enough to confide his dark thoughts and allow into his other world. For God's sake, they met when he was working on a case and he saved her from a crazed stalker, so clearly she knew his job wasn't all rainbows and sunshine. Their marriage had consisted of just that until he proved himself to be the ass he always accused his father of being. Despite his mountain of faults, the one thing William Reid never did, to Spencer's knowledge, was commit adultry.

After Lila left him that tragic, fateful night, he called her every moment of everyday, begging and pleading with her to give him another chance. After a few days Lila and Ashley had their cellphones shut off and everytime Spencer went to Ashley's house to see his wife, his sister-in-law would charge at him with a firearm or some other sort of weapon. Ashley never left her sister's side and Spencer was becoming more and more desperate everyday. He would do anything to win back the love of his life and didn't know how he would survive without her.

Considering the heartache that had completely engolfed his personal life, it was understandable that the prospect of being surrounded by other people's joy would make him miserable. However, that was a scenerio he was forced to face because he was in New Orleans to stand up in Ethan and Mabel's wedding. After what happened with Lila, he was going to back out, but Derek encouraged him to go, saying the change of scenery would refresh and recharge him and the distance would help Lila clear her mind and be better able to consider their future. He hated being so far away from his wife and babies, but didn't mind going a few days without his sister-in-law trying to kill him. He knew he deserved to die for what he had done, but he knew Ashley's histrionics were upsetting to his wife.

The wedding was in two days and Spencer didn't know how was going to survive the ordeal. He couldn't believe that he and Lila had pledged those same vows five months and one week ago and that he had already destroyed their union. He never believed he was deserving of lifelong happiness or that any woman, especially one of Lila's calibre, would want to be with him forever, but never in a million years did he believe infidelity on his part would be the deciding factor in the relationship's termination. He worshipped his wife and the fact he so badly betrayed her went against the core of his profile.

He was alone in his hotel room, save for the bottles of various alcohol scattered around his room. He usually wasn't one to abuse the bottle, but he decided to make tonight an exception. After setting down the empty vodka bottle, he opened the nightstand to pull out what he really needed. His craving for what he held in his palm began weeks ago and tonight he decided to give into his dark urges. Spencer had always considered conquering his drug addiction and maintaining sobriety to be one of his biggest achievements, but in light of his actions he didn't feel he deserved that anymore.

He didn't deserve anything but the dark, miserable Hell he had brought onto his life. Spencer opened the package holding a fresh new needle and dropped the rubbage onto the floor. He jabbed the needle into the vial and could feel the anticipation mounting as the liquid filled the syringe. Once it was completely filled, he held it between his fingers and simply stared at it. He knew once the needle entered his flesh there was no going back.

Just as quickly as that thought entered his mind, another, more somber one infiltrated. The life he knew and loved was already over and he had nothing left to live for, so he might as well give himself a distraction from the pain. He rolled up his shirt sleeve and jabbed the needle into his arm, injecting the liquid into his body. That all too familiar feeling overtook his slender frame and he shook as the drugs pulsated through his veins. Within minutes, he felt lightheaded and dizzy, and nauseated and he hoped this would be enough to dull the ache in his heart.

He wasn't at all surprised when he discovered that his heart was just as broken as ever. Nothing would ever change the fact he was a worthless son of a bitch, but he decided to continue trying to ease his pain. He injected more Dilaudid into his system until the vial was empty and rank until he slipped into a dark, dreamless abyss.


	80. Chapter 80 D Day

Chapter Eighty-D Day

"Childbirth is a time when a woman's power and strength emerge full force, but it is also a vulnerable time, and a time of many changes presenting opportunities for personal growth."~ Anne Marie Van Oploo

As Spencer was grappling with his own demons, Lila was facing her own worst fears head on. The iron grip she placed on her sister's hand tightened as Dr. MG conducted her exam. Despite her fear, Lila was amazed at how quickly she arrived at the hospital and the speed at which Dr. Mg began her exam. She attributed this to her sister's quick thinking and ability to remain calm under such pressure. Lila didn't know where she would be without her and was so grateful for everything her sister had done. Both women looked at Dr. MG as she looked away from the ultrasound monitor, her expression grim. She had already looked over Lila's lab results so she was ready to give her patient the grim news.

"Lila, it appears that the TTTS has gotten much worse. When I first diagnosed you, your babies were at a stage one. They have now gone to stage four."

Lila and Ashley exchanged glances, the horror evident on their faces. Lila clutched her stomach and tried to fight the lump in her throat. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her precious babies and didn't know what she would do without them.

"H...how is that possible, doctor? She wasn't diagnosed that long ago and she had the lazer surgery!" Ashley protested.

"TTTS can evolve rather quickly and once we've reached this stage, I'm afraid our options are rather limited. We have two options: we could either terminate one fetus in order to save the other..."

"Which is *NOT* an option because I am not killing either one of my sons," Lila said, gripping her stomach in a protective manner and giving her doctor a warning look. She would tear this woman to shreds before she let her kill one of her babies.

"Our only other alternative is to deliver the babies right away and hope for the best. Your babies are just over twenty-four gestation, so there are of course considerable risks to consider there as well. They will be four months premature, so the liklihood for long term disabilities, even death, is significant."

Lila looked over at Ashley, whose steady gaze and firm grip gave her some comfort. Ashley was churning inside, but she knew she couldn't let that show because she was the only support system her sister had, so if she too fell apart, Lila would be alone and that wasn't an option. Ashley nodded her head and Lila looked back at her physician.

"Doctor, I understand the risks involved, but terminating the life of one of my sons is not an option. I understand they could end up with life long disabilities or..." Lila felt tears escaping her eyes, so she immediately wiped them away. Her sons' lives were in jeopardy, so this was no time to give into emotion. "...or they may not make it at all. I understand all of that, but I would feel better knowing both of them at least had a *chance* at life, as opposed to no chance at all."

"And I'm here for you every step of the way, Lila-Bear. Regardless of what happens to these babies, they are precious gifts and will be loved and valued for who they are, no matter how able or limited they are."

Dr. Matthew-Gubler nodded solomnly before she continued. "We will start you on steroid therapy in order to help expand the babies' lungs and help ready them for birth. I also want to talk to you about some other issues as well."

"I have had my power of attorney changed so that my sister will be in charge of any decisions that need to be made while I'm in surgery," Lila said. "I trust Ashley's judgement, so I want you to default to her when decisions need to be made."

"That is reassuring to know, Lila, but that's not what I'm talking about. In conducting my exam I noticed your Placenta Previa has gone from marginal to complete and your Placenta Accreta has now evolved to Placenta Percreta. That is a condition in which the placenta penetrates through the entire uterine wall and attaches to another organ, usually the bladder. You have severe preeclampsia, which has now turned into HELLP."

"H...how high is my blood pressure right now?" Lila asked. Her blood pressure had risen significantly over the past few weeks and she was now taking medication to try to lower it.

"It is 160/110, which is higher than we would like to see. In addition to the steroids, I'm also going to order medication to try to lower your blood pressure."

Lila simply nodded, her face pale and grim with concern over her babies. Dr. MG reached over and grabbed her hand, wanting to give her patient some encouragement.

"Lila, I know you're scared and that is completely understandable. I want you to know that I am here for you and I will do everything in my power to deliver these babies safely. I have two children of my own, so I understand how much these boys mean to you. You are in good hands."

Lila nodded and Dr. MG left the room to set everything in motion. Lila looked over at Ashley, whose hand remained firmly locked with hers.

"Everything is going to be fine, Lila-Bear, you'll see," Ashley said, hoping her sister didn't notice the slight quiver in her voice. She had managed to hold it together so far, so she couldn't lose it now.

"I don't want you to call anyone until this is all over," Lila said, ignoring her sister. "today is a holiday and I don't want my difficulties spoiling anyone else's festivities."

"But Lila..." Ashley protested, knowing Stella, Emma, and Veronica at least would want to be here.

"Ashley, I am serious. Let everyone enjoy their holiday and call them in the morning. Besides, the girls are in Vermont with Aunt Veronica so it would take several hours for them to arrive and airports are a disaster this time of year."

"Dave and Aaron could order the jet," Ashley countered, since the men in Stella and Emma's life were spending the holidays with them.

"Ashley..." Lila warned, a light growl in her voice. She didn't want to have to fight with her sister at a time like this.

"Lila-Bear, just focus on what's happening and block everything else from your mind. Your babies come first."

Lila nodded and nurses entered the room to administer the medication, as well as have Lila sign the necessary consent papers. Ashley remained by her side the entire time and a few hours later it was time for Lila to be wheeled off to surgery. Ashley asked if she could be in the room with Lila during the cessarean section and Dr. MG agreed. Lila was thankful her sister would be in the room, since she couldn't bear to be alone at this difficult time in her life. When it was time to administer the anesthesia, however, Ashley did have to leave the room, per hospital policy.

She was led into a prep room, where she could wash her hands and don the appropriate attire for the occassion. Before she washed her hands, however, she decided that some requests required defying. She didn't care what Lila said: this was the most terrifying moment of her life and despite her protests, she did want her loved ones present. She took her cellphone out of her purse and called Veronica, telling her the news. Veronica said she would tell her husband Maxwell, Emma, Stella, Dave, and Aaron.

After she hung up with Veronica, she called the remaining members of the BAU, as well as Holly, Ivy, Aiden, and Zoey. With those calls completed, she knew there was one more she needed to make and Heaven knew she didn't want to. She forced her fingers to dial, knowing this wasn't about her and that Lila would want her to make this call. For whatever reason, she still loved the good for nothing piece of shit she was calling and pleasing Lila was the most important thing to Ashley at this time in their lives. Much to Ashley's disgust, she realized his cellphone was shut off, so she hung up and slammed her phone back into her nurse. It was at that moment that a nurse entered the room.

"Ashley, it's time to begin," she replied.

"I'm on my way," Ashley assured her, quickly washing her hands and throwing on the scrubs, gloves, and mask laid out by hospital personell.

Before leaving the room, Ashley removed her digital camera and held it in her hands. As well as being a camera, the device worked as a video camera as well. She understood the seriousness of the situation before them, but she hoped to provide some normalcy as well and normal people recorded the births of children. In her heart she believed the boys would be fine and she wanted them to see this video one day as a way of reminding them where they came from and how far they've come. She placed it in her scrub's pocket and followed the nurse into the operating room.

Everything was already set up, so Ashley walked over to Lila and sat beside her. A blue curtain had been erected to conceal the activities about to transpire, which Ashley thought was a wonderful idea, especially for Lila's sake. She looked over at her sister and gave her a reassuring smile, although it was covered by the mask.

"Just think, sis, in a few minutes this will all be over and you will be the mother of two beautiful babies," she said.

"Ashley, could you do me a favor?" Lila asked.

"Of course, Sis, anything. Just name it."

"Could...could we pray before we get started? I'm not a very religious person, but I guess it couldn't hurt."

"You got it, Sis," Ashley said. Everyone in the operating room held hands and Ashley led the prayer, placing Lila's hand in both of hers.

"Heavenly Father, please look down on Lila and the babies and guide her doctors' hands, as well as the rest of the operating team. The fate of Lila and her babies is in your hands and we trust you will see them through. In your name and Jesus's name we pray, Amen."

"Amen," everyone said in unison. Lila looked at her sister and squeezed her hand.

"Thank you," Lila said, looking somewhat relieved.

"You're welcome," Ashley replied. She looked into her sister's eyes and gently stroked her forehead as the cessarean began. Although Ashley had planned to record this delivery, she knew her sister needed her to help keep her calm and focused, so she nixed her plans, instead opting to hold her hand and murmer her support.


	81. Chapter 81 Evil Strikes

Chapter Eighty-One-Evil Strikes

**Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend Irontail with much love and appreciation. Thank you for helping to bring out my darer side and have a blast in the process.**

"We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell."~ Oscar Wilde

It was later that evening when Spencer finally awakened from his drug induced slumber. He looked at the vial and needle on the bed and felt the disgust building throughout his body. He felt weak and disgusting for succumbing to his addiction and not being strong enough to resist his urges. His wife was going through Hell and instead of being a man and standing by her, he was making things worse. All he wanted was to make his wife happy, but instead he was the cause of all her misery.

He wished with all his heart he could go back in time and erased all of his foolish, selfish mistakes and be the husband and man she needed and deserved. He forced himself off of the bed and snuffled towards the mini bar, deciding that if he was going to be a useless drug addict, he might as well be an alcoholic as well. As he was considering his options, he heard a knock at the door. He groaned and muttered under his breath, wishing the person would go away and leave him alone in his misery. The knocking persisted and Spencer realized that the person or people were not going to go away.

He sighed, walked towards the bed, and picked up the vial and needle. After placing them in a nearby drawer, he ran his fingers through his hair and walked towards the door. He looked through the peephole and the person standing on the other side shocked him. His emotions churned and he didn't know what to do. He knew he shouldn't open the door, but at the same time realized he didn't have a choice.

He opened the door and the person in question was Austin, who looked very sexy in snug fitting skinny jeans, an off-the-shoulder black sweater, and black stilettos. Her hair was worn loose against her shoulders and she carried a large tote bag. She smiled at Spencer as she entered the room, sitting on his bed. Although he knew he should ask her to leave, he was kind of happy to see her. He hadn't seen a kind face in ages and having a friend around was sort of comforting.

"Austin, what are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"I remembered you telling me how you were serving as groomsman for your friend Ethan's wedding, so I decided to come see you."

"Yes, but I never told you where I would be staying for the wedding," Spencer pointed out, casting her a look of suspicion.

"True, but you *did* tell me they were getting married at The House of Blues jazz bar, so I simply went online, found all hotels and motels near the bar and called all of them until I found where you were staying. Fortunately I only had to call five."

Spencer looked at her with confusion and suspicion, so Austin continued talking, want to set Spencer at ease. He had to trust her in order for her plan to work. She hadn't worked so hard for so long for her plan to fall apart now.

"Listen Spence, I feel bad about what happened the last time we were together. I guess we both had too much to drink and let emotions get the better of us. I'll understand if you never want to speak to me again, but I had to see if you were alright. I read about your impending divorce in the papers and I feel awful. All I ever wanted was to be your friend and I ruined your life."

Right on cue tears filled Austin's eyes and she bowed her head as they streamed down her face. She was grateful that she could look remorseful and sexy at the same time. As she continued with her faux pity party, Spencer fell for her scam and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her. He held her close, rubbing her back as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. She let out a few well placed sniffles and Spencer continued stroking her back.

After a few minutes they pulled apart and Austin wiped her eyes with her hands. Spencer handed her the box of tissues on the nightstand and she took one, dabbing the corners of her eyes. While she pretended to curb her emotions Spencer spoke.

"I'm glad to see you, Austin. Would you like a drink?"

"Yes please," Austin replied.

She eyed the room as he walked over to the bar, noticing all of the empty liquor bottles on the floor. As much as she didn't like him mourning Lila, she knew it was a necessary step in them being together. With him lonely and vulnerable she could execute her plan with relative ease. She smiled up at him as he handed her a glass of wine, having one for himself. They clinked glasses and right before Spencer took a sip she spoke.

"Spencer, did I leave the door open?"

"No," Spencer replied, looking over his shoulder.

"Would you mind getting up and having a look? New Orleans can be a dangerous city and I want to be sure we're safe. I mean, I know you're an FBI agent and everything, but I would feel better."

Spencer acquiesced and rose from the bed, handing Austin his glass. As he examined the door, Austin quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial. She cast a quick glance at Spencer, whose focus was on the door, so she quickly dumped the vial's contents into Spencer's wine glass and quickly shoved the empty vial into her pocket. She smiled innocently at Spencer when he returned to the bed and sat down, taking his wine glass. They clinked glasses and Spencer downed his drink fairly quickly.

Austin raised an eyebrow as she calmly sipped hers, carefully studying her target as he set his glass down. This wasn't the first time she had drugged her desired paramour: she had laced his wine the night Lila caught them together. That night didn't go as smoothly as she would have liked, so this time she upped the dosage she gave Spencer, hoping this time it would be enough to have him where she wanted him.

"I'm glad to see you, Austin," Spencer repeated, looking at Austin as she nursed her wine.

"I'm glad to see you, too, Spencer. I'm so sorry for what happened between you and Lila and I feel so awful for you. I can't help but feel that somehow I am responsible for what happened."

"Don't blame yourself, Austin. I am the married party, so it was my responsibility to behave properly, which I did not," Spencer said bitterly, getting up to pace the room.

With Spencer's back to her, Austin whipped out two more vials and emptied them into the wine bottle, whirrling it around so the additive would incorporate with the wine. Usually this substance added a salty taste to drinks, but it was colorless and ordorless, and based on Spencer's current behavior, he was probably already too buzzed to care. Since Spencer had set down his glass, she refilled it and handed it back to him. He thanked her and downed that glass as well, as well as another one. Austin's lips twitched as she observed him and said a silent prayer of thanks to the bar patron who had supplied her with the vials. It was amazing what an evening of free drinks could procure.

"Still, Spencer, I care about you and I want you to be happy," Austin continued, setting down her wine glass and walking over to Spencer.

She took the glass of out his hand and set it down, pulling him close for a hug. Spencer wrapped his arms around her as well and pulled her close, resting his head on her shoulder. She walked backwards slowly until they were sitting back on the bed. As Spencer held her close, she gently rubbed his back and whispered sweet words of encouragement in his ear. He looked up at her and the pain in the his eyes was so intense even she had to feel sorry for him. She didn't like hurting him, but she had to do what she had to do.

"I'm so alone, Austin," Spencer whispered, tears streaming down his face as he looked into the distance. "all I ever wanted was someone to love me and when I finally got my wish, I blew it. Lila was the best thing that ever happened to me and I destroyed any possible chance of us having a happy life together. I let her down and set such a terrible example for my sons. Ashley is right, they *are* better off without me. I hurt everyone I love and cause nothing but pain."

"Oh Spencer, that isn't true. You have me and I'm going to be here for you no matter what. You can count on me."

Austin took his face in her hands and gently wiped the tears away. They looked into each other's eyes and it wasn't long until their lips were united in a soft, sweet kiss. Austin started out slowly at first, not wanting to frighten him off, and was delighted when he deepened the kiss. Their tongues danced in a hurried frenzy and it wasn't long until Spencer was lowering her onto the bed. She smirked and quickly shimmied her way out of her slim fitting pants, tossing them onto the floor along with her thong. She ripped off Spencer's t-shirt and started kissing his chest when something unexpected happened.

Austin watched in horror as Spencer began convulsing and collapsed on top of her, his body twitching uncontrollably. Sweat was now dripping from his body and he looked at her wide eyed, his pupils dilated. She pushed him off of her and immediately pulled on her clothes, feeling panicked. She knew if anything happened to Spencer and she was found to be the responsible party, her life was over. Her actions on their own were bad enough, but given Spencer's status, she knew she would receive the most severe punishment possible.

Along with jail time, she would kiss away the respect of her family and friends, as well as the career she so desperately desired. She was doing so well in her studies and wanted more than anything to put her Criminal Justice degree to use by working in the FBI. She knew that wouldn't be possible if she was found guilty of what she had done, so she knew she needed to evacuate the hotel room as quickly as possible.

"A...Austin, Austin, please...help me," Spencer pleaded, his dark brown eyes begging her for help. He didn't know what was happening and he was absolutely terrified. All he knew was he didn't want to die: he couldn't leave this earth until he had made amends to Lila and their boys for all the mistakes he had made.

Austin looked at Spencer for a moment, feeling confliced as he reached out to her for help. She quickly shook her head and realized it was already too late for him, so there was no need to throw her life away as well. She turned around and exited the hotel room, stopping momentarily to grab some tissue out of her purse she could wipe her fingerprints off of the doorknob before she left. After a quick moment of thinking, she raced back into the room and grabbed the glasses and wine bottle, since she knew they contained her fingerprints. She shoved them into her purse and fled the room once more, pausing to wipe the outside doorknob as well before fleeing to her car. As she sped out of the parking lot, Spencer continued convulsing until he finally vomitted. His body twitched one last time and he let out a gag as he slipped into unconsciousness.


	82. Chapter 82 Lives in Peril

Chapter Eighty-Two-Lives in Peril

"Life and death are balanced on the edge of a razor."~Homer, Iliad

****Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since my last update, but things have been crazy here lately. Oh, I've also started a new fic, so please, please, please read and review that one as well. Thanks!****

Lila felt as if she was having an out of body experience. She remained silent, trying to focus on the murmurs of the hospital staff, the pulling and tugging she felt on her abdomen, and the firm grip Ashley had of her hand. When she first discovered she was pregnant, she had images of how she wanted her delivery day. She imagined being in her own, private room with Spencer by her side as she brought their child into the world through a drug free, easy delivery. Even when all of her health problems mounted, she still held onto hope that Spencer would be there for her, giving her love and encouragment during this difficult time.

Instead, her dreams for a loving, secure family were now irretrievably broken, her hopes for a happy future dashed by her husband's neglect and infidelity. Deep down she always knew she wasn't deserving of the kind of lives other people had and his actions supported those beliefs. She was grateful to at least have her sister, although she was wracked with guilt for adding so much stress to her already difficult life. Between battling for sobriety and going through her own difficult pregnancy, dealing with Lila and her drama was the last thing she needed.

"Baby A is here," Dr. MG called, lifting him from his mother's womb and quickly cleaning him, suctioning his nose and mouth.

The boy made a slight wimpering noise, his lungs unable to perform their duties, so he immediately rushed to his incubator. As oxygen was administered to him, Dr. MG went to work delivering his brother. He was trapped inside Lila's womb, his throat tightly wound multiple time with his umbilical cord. Dr. MG worked quickly, knowing time was of the essence. After several agonizing moments, Baby B was delivered.

She suctioned his nose and mouth, but the boy was silent. As the medical team went to work, Dr. MG focused on her post delivery duties. Lila was still bleeding, so MG tried to stop the blood, but to no avail. Despite her swift actions, Lila was hemorrhaging heavily, which was followed by convulsions. Ashley looked on, helpless and horrified as her sister's vitals plummeted and the medical staff worked feverishly to save her.

"Ms. Archer, you need to leave," Dr. MG said.

"But, doctor..." Ashley protested, not wanting to leave her sister along at such a precarious time.

"Ashley, we need to work on your sister now, so we can't have you in here at the moment, "said one of the nurses, trying to be kind. She ushered Ashley out of the room, knowing time was of the essence.

"Why don't you go check on your nephews? They are in the NIC-U and Dr. Gubler can answer any questions you might have."

Ashley stood in the hallway, frozen with sickening fear as she watched the nurse disappear back into the operating room. Her worst fears were coming true and she never felt more alone in her life. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to think of what to do next, but for once her decisiveness was gone.

While the staff at Georgetown University Hospital worked feverishly to save Lila and her sons, Ethan and Mabel were making a housecall of their own. They were deeply concerned about Spencer and when they discovered his cellphone was turned off, decided to pay him a visit. They walked up to the door of his hotel room and Ethan knocked. They waited a moment and Ethan knocked again, this time calling out to his friend.

"Spencer, Spencer open the door, man! Mabel and I just want to make sure you're okay. C'mon man, open the damn door!" Ethan said, knocking again.

"It isn't like Spencer to shut off his phone, unless he's working on a case," Mabel said, looking concerned. "Ethan, you don't suppose he..."

"For the love of God I hope not. After all the crap that's happened lately that's all anyone needs," Ethan said, forgoing knocking in place of window peering.

Although the blinds were drawn, they stopped just shy of the window pane, leaving almost an inch uncovered. Ethan knelt down and peered through, hoping to catch a glimpse of his friend. What he saw, however, shocked and horrified him. He found his friend sprawled out on his bed, shirtless and unconscious on his bed. Ethan pulled his sleeve down so it covered his fist and punched his hand through the window. Mabel looked at him, stunned, but followed him into the room. They raced towards the bed and Ethan moved Spencer onto the floor so he could administer CPR. Spencer had gotten sick and choked on his own vile, so Ethan quickly cleaned the mess so he could administer mouth-to-mouth.

"Spencer, c'mon man, stay with us. Think of Lila and your babies. I know you guys are going through a rough patch, but she needs you, your children need you. Spencer, wake up!" Ethan implored in between breaths, his strong hands working to pump life back into his friend.

Mabel was on the phone with 911, relaying to the dispatcher what was happening. The operator asked her if she knew what Spencer took that might have caused his collapse, so Mabel looked around the room in search of the source, but didn't see anything. Then she opened the nightstand drawer and discovered the needle and vial of Dilaudid. Ethan looked up and they both shook their heads sadly as they realized what it was. As Mabel talked to the dispatcher, Ethan continued working on his friend, silently praying that they weren't too late.


	83. Chapter 83 A&B

Chapter Eighty-Three-A&B

"On life's most difficult days, all we can do is simply take things moment by moment."~ Kirsti A. Dyer

No matter where Ashley went, she felt as if she was still stuck in Hell. When she went to check on Lila's status, she was still in surgery and no one could give her an update. When she raced to the NIC-U, the staff was still working on her nephews and they couldn't give her an update either. Ashley leaned against the wall and slowly sank onto the ground, her face in her hands. The people she loved most were fighting for their lives and there was nothing she could do.

Ashley had never felt more alone in her entire life and would have given anything to save her sister and nephews. She didn't like showing her vulnerable side in public, but once the tears started they wouldn't stop. She didn't know how long she was on the floor, but when she felt a hand on her shoulder, flinched with surprise. She looked up to see Dr. Matthew-Gray as well as her husband Dr. Gubler. They helped her to her feet and once she was steady, Ashley did her best to meet their eyes, steeling herself for the news that was to come.

"Ashley, your sister is out of surgery, but her condition is very critical. She began hemorrhaging during her cesarean, which caused her to seizure. She has lost almost half of her blood supply, so she is having a blood transfusion, and may need another one, given the amount of blood loss. Her vital signs are weak, so we put her in a medically induced coma so she can recover more safely."

"A...and my nephews?" Ashley asked, her face blanched and her stomach churning. She felt she was going to be sick, but silently chastized herself for succumbing to the stress. Having a nervous breakdown wasn't going to help Lila, so she needed to pull it together now.

"Your nephews' health is precarious, but we are doing everything we can to keep these boys alive. Baby B, the recipient, is showing signs of respiratory distress, which is very common for a baby born at this age. He is on a respirator and he's also in an incubator to help maintain his body heat. He is also showing signs of of Patent Ductus Arteriosus, PDA, which is a cardiac disorder caused by an open blood vessel. Fetuses produce a chemical called prostaglandin E, which falls in the case of a full term baby, causing the vessel to close. In your nephew's case, the chemical is still at the same level, so we are giving him medication to stop or lessen the chemical's production," said Dr. MG.

"W...will he need surgery?"

"It's too soon to tell at this point, but we are doing everything we can to ensure that doesn't happen. Ideally we like to hold off on performing surgery on babies this small since putting them under is such a risk," said Dr. MG.

"How is my other nephew...Baby A?" Ashley didn't like referring to her nephews in such a cold...impersonal sort of way. She wished Lila had selected names for them, so they could be referred as people, and not specimens in a lab.

"He is critical as well," said Dr. Gubler. "his lungs are severely infected and deteriorating, which is a condition called Bronchopulmonary dysplasia. He is showing other symptoms of this disease, including cyanosis, rapid breathing, and shortness of breath. He is on a ventilator and over time we will reduce the pressure and oxygen. At that time he will still receive oxygen by way of mask or nasal tube for several weeks or months. Both of your nephews are currently being fed by tubes inserted directly into their stomachs and they both have jaundice and apnea. Warmers are also being used on Baby A to help maintain his body temperator."

"Oh dear God in Heaven," Ashley said, feeling dizzy at news of her nephews' condition. "how long will they need to be on machines? When can they go home? What are their chances of survival? What will the long term affects be?"

"Baby B weights one pound six ounces and Baby A is just over a pound, so their survival rate is at about sixty percent," Dr. Gubler explained. "they will most likely need to remain on machines for a few weeks, and we don't know at this point when they will be able to go home. In order to be discharged, they need to eat, maintain body heat, and breathe on their own. As for long term affects, it's too soon to tell at this point in time. Just know that these babies are fighting with every fiber on their beings and we are doing all we can to aid them in their battle."

"Baby A also has a condition called Intraventricular hemorrhage," Dr. MG continued. "this condition happens to babies born at less than thirty four weeks and it's when brain vessels don't tolorate the changes in circulation that take place during labor. We gave medication to Lila prior to delivery, so that should lessen the chance of intracranial hemorrhage."

"May I see them?" Ashley asked. "I know they are probably too fragile to touch, but I need to see them and let them know they have a family that loves them and wants them to get well."

"You may see them, but only for a few minutes," said Dr. MG.

Dr. MG and Dr. Gubler led Ashley to the NICU and her heart beat rapidly as she followed them. Their journey actually wasn't that long, but it felt like an eternity to Ashley. She had never been to the NICU before and didn't know what to expect. Within minutes, they were there and the two trusted doctors led her inside. The room was buzzing with the sounds of hospital personnel hard at work and of families giving quiet encouragement to their tiny, brave bundles.

Ashley quietly observed the families and when one of them would look up, they would share that same sad, knowing expression. Ashley was led to the back of the room, where she was greeted by two incubators. Nurses and other hospital staff were surrounding the boys, but in that moment, all Ashley could see was the incubators. Nothing else existed to her except her nephews.

"Here are your nephews, Ashley," Dr. MG said softly.

Ashley looked at each of the incubators, overwhelmed by the sight of all of the equipments, tubes, and IVs. She felt as if she was trapped in a strange, sci-fi inspired dream and didn't know how to act or what to say. The sounds of machines buzzing and beeping, monitoring the boys' progress, were also frightening since she didn't know what they meant. To her, all of the noises were code blue status, so it amazed her that the staff could remain so calm and so collected in their wake.

"You can come a little closer, Ashley, it's alright," Dr. MG said kindly.

Ashley looked from Dr. MG to Dr. Gubler, who both gave her a nod of encouragment, so she slowly inched her way towards the incubators. She forced herself to look inside, terrified of what she would find, but the images inside made her want to weep. When she finally peered inside the machines, she was somehow able to see past the equipment and focus only on the boys, her boys. They were both so small and delicate, and yet so beautiful.

Baby B, the largest of the two at one pound, six ounces, looked to Ashley a bit like a pea resting on a large serving platter. He was so small, so fragile, measuring out at a mere ten inches in length. His little body was covered in fine fair called lanugo, which was common among babies born at this stage of development. His eyes were fused shut and covered for protection.

Although he was so premature, his eyelashes and brows were fully developed, as were his tiny finger and toenails. The hair covering his body was a pale blonde, reminding Ashley of her sister. She noticed he also had Lila's nose and chin. Lila's Aunt Veronica always joked that the Hollingsworth genes were so strong and Ashley could see just how correct she was.

Baby A, the littlest fighter, was just barely over a pound and measured out and just under eight inches in length. His little body was also covered in hair, although his was more like Spencer's. Not only did he have Spencer's hair, but he also had his daddy's ears, mouth, and long, slender neck. Like his brother, he was firmly attached to machines and monitors, but he looked even more grave than his brother. Just as Dr. Gubler described, his skin had a bluish tint and every breath he took seemed to cause him great agony.

Ashley sat in a chair facing both incubators and rested a hand on each other. She wanted nothing more than to throw herself onto the floor and sob, but knew that wasn't an option. She was all these boys had and they needed her to be strong. She removed one of her hands from the incubator to banish away the flood of unwanted tears starting to pour and then put it back on her nephew's make shift home.

"H...h...hello, boys. This is your Auntie Ashley speaking and I...I don't know what to say," she began, a lump forming in her throat.

She forced herself to swallow, trying to stave off her emotions, since there was so much she needed to say to them. She had read about the importance of bonding and emotional support for preemies, how knowing someone loved them helped them recover faster and have higher percentages of long term health, so she wanted them to know right away just how loved and valued they were.

"I...I guess I just want you to know how much I love both of you and how special you are to me. Not only are you my first set of nephews, but you're also the first set of grandchildren on both sides of the family, which is a really big deal. There are so many people who love you and are anxious to see you. Your little cousin is due in a few months and he's looking forward to meeting you as well."

It suddenly hit her that her baby was due around the time Lila's babies were supposed to be born. It was terrifying and also unfair that while her baby was nestled securely in her womb, Lila's babies were fighting for breath in strange machines, far, far away from their own mommy. Would the boys get to meet their mommy? Ashley shook her head, trying to rid herself of such thoughts as she continued.

"Your mommy isn't here right now, but if she was, she would also tell you just how much she loves both of you. She has been looking forward to your arrival for months and I know she'll love you as much as I do. Mommy isn't feeling well right now but if...when...when she does feel better, she'll come see you and you'll be a happy family."

Tears were now clouding Ashley's eyes and she could no longer see the incubators in front of her. She was trying to remain optimistic, but everything seemed so hopeless in that moment. She wasn't sure if Lila would recover, the same with the babies. Even if they did somehow manage to survive, what sort of life would they have? Given their early arrival and already mounting list of medical problems, they were in for a long, hard road to recovery, if they managed to live that long. Ashley buried her face into her hands and wept, feeling scared and helpless, and also selfish for giving into her feelings when her family needed her to be strong. The more she fought her feelings, the more they bubbled forward, so finally she surrendered, allowing the feelings she was trying to surpress to spill onto the surface.


	84. Chapter 84 Little Angels

Chapter Eighty-Four-Little Angels

"For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all my ways."~ Psalm 91:11

Time is an interesting, complex, contradictory, necessary part of life. While it flows smoothly from seconds to minutes to hours, it can also appear to stand still. That was very much how Ashley felt, sitting between her nephews' incubators while an army of medical experts flowed through at a steady pace. Although their movements were fluid and swift, the minutes only seemed to inch by as Ashley looked on helplessly, unable to do anything but worry and pray. She used to think the phrase 'hurry up and wait' was rather foolish, but that expression perfectly detailed the situation.

Ashley wanted to jump out of her skin, or at the very least accessorize the hospital walls with some holes, yet the team of doctors and nurses carried on as usual, as if nothing had changed for them. She knew they were just trying to be professional and yet, it drove her cray that they could remain unflinching in what was the worst conundrum of her life. She rested her head in her hands, the adrenalin long since evaproated from her body and replaced with a heavy feeling of fear and dread. As much as she craved updates about her family's condition, her stomach still coiled whenever a doctor or nurse approached the incubators. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jumped, her nerves on edge. She looked up and found herself met with the kind eyes of Dr. MG.

"How are the boys? How is Lila?" Ashley asked, imploring Dr. MG with wide, terrified eyes, yearning for and dreading whatever news was in store.

"The boys' condition hasn't changed, I'm afraid. They are both in precarious health, but Baby B is the one that most concerns me. Donor twins are at risk of heart failure from pumping too much blood in order to provide nutrients to the recipient and that is what we are seeing. Dr. Gubler and I are monioring the situation and giving him medication in order to avoid surgery. It's very possible he may need an operation in the future, but I am afraid that at the moment he is simply too weak to undergo such a procedure.

Like his brother, his lung function is minimal so he will be kept on oxygen for the time being. Prolonged use of oxygen has it's own complications, the most common being possible brain damage, but right now it is imperative for his survival. He also has anemia and jaundice, which is quite common for premature babies."

"What about Baby A? Why is his skin so red?"

"Baby A is also on oxygen and he is being treated for anemia and jaundice as well. The rednesss you see is a result of having too much blood in his system and increased blood pressure. Because of the increased blood volumn, the recipient twin may develop cardiac failure and also require medications to strengthen heart function."

Ashley remained silent as Dr. MG continued speaking. "At twenty-four weeks, their immune aren't fully developed, so there are several things we need to watch for. As I've said before, there are risks involved with keeping the boys on a respirator for an extended period of time. Babies kept on a ventilator for more than twenty-eight days are at risk for developing Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, also known as BPD. This occurs when a baby's lungs have shown evidence of deterioration. Unfortunately, preemies sometimes cannot withstand the constant pressure of a respirator. Preemies do recover from this, but it may take some longer than others."

"Pneumonia can also occur," Dr. MG continued. "Pneumonia is an infection in the area of the lung involved in the exchanging of carbon dioxide and oxygen and causes inflammation which reduces the amount of space available for the exchange of air. This results in inadequate amounts of oxygen to the body, Treatment involves antibiotics as well as supplemental oxygen and intubation."

The nurses had already explained infection, Jaundice, inability for maintain body heat, anemia, and sepsis to Ashley's satisfaction, so Dr. MG could move on to other matters. "Babies born at less than thirty-four weeks have an increased risk of bleeding in their brain. This happens because immature blood vessels may not tolorate the changes in circulation that take place during labor. Intracranial hemorrhage occurs in about 1/3 of babies born at 24-26 weeks gestation."

"If that happens, what complications can arise?" Ashley asked.

"Cerebral palsy, mental retardation, and learning difficulties. It will be some time before those issues present themselves, however."

Another complication the twins faced was Patent Ductus Arteriosus, which Dr. MG had already discussed with Lila and Ashley. She also explained Retinopathy of Prematurity, which is a potentially blinding eye disorder, which can be treated with laser surgery or cryosurgery. Necrotizing Enterocolities is a condition that occurs when a portion of the newborn's intestine develops poor blood flow that can lead to infection in the bowel wall. Treatment includes intravenous feeding and antibiotics."

"Will he need surgery?" Ashley asked.

"Surgery is only needed in severe cases."

Ashley nodded and rested her hand on Baby A's incubator as Dr. MG continued speaking. "I know the wires, IVs, and machines scare you, but the babies weren't hooked up to them to inflict pain. They help monitor their progress and alert us when they need our assistance."

Dr. MG pointed to the monitors and explained. "Apnea and Bradycardia are common in preemies. Apnea is the absence of breathing and Bradycardia is the reduction of heart rate. An alarm will sound if they have an irregular breathing pattern of intervals of pauses lasting longer than 10-15 seconds. An alarm will also sound if their heartbeat falls below 100 beats per minute."

"What will you do for them if that happens? What is a normal heartbeat for a baby?"

"120 to 150 beats per minute. Usually a little tap or simple rub on the back helps remind them to breath or increase their heart rate. If the situation is more serious, we are more than equipped to deal with it."

"How is my sister?"

"Lila experienced severe hemorrhaging during the c-section. She has lost a great deal of blood and I'm afraid there is more. You sister suffered a heart attack and stroke and she is in a coma."

"A heart attack and stroke?" Ashley exclaimed, jumping from her seat. "my sister is a young woman! That isn't possible for someone her age!"

"I know it's shocking, but our research shows an increase of strokes in women before and after childbirth. They have increased by 50% and that is from rising rates of high blood blood pressure, among other things. We are giving her Alteplase, a clot-busting drug to dissolve the blood clot that is causing the stroke. We are also giving her Heparin to help thin the blood, as well as oxygen and a blood transfusion. When she is discharged, I will most likely prescribe blood pressure medication, even if her blood pressure is at an acceptable level."

"What is being done about her heart attack?"

"We have performed an ECG to evaluate how much damage has occured to the heart muscle and where it has occured, as well as monitor her heart rate and rhythm. In addition to blood tests, we also performed an echocardiograph and she is receiving drugs. In addition to the Alteplase, she is also receiving Plavix and Thrombolytic therapy. Thrombolytic therapy, also known as "clot busters", are used to dissolve any blood clots in the heart's arteries."

"When can I see her?"

"Her condition is still critical and we are still working to stabilize her condition, so I would recommend waiting a few more hours. In the meantime, you can stay with the babies as long as you like."

Dr. MG and Ashley turned their attention back to the babies, who were blissfully unaware of all the turmoil surrounding them. Ashley lovingly stroked the incubators, silently willing them to recover.

"It's alright if you would like to touch them," Dr. MG replied.

"Really?" Ashely asked, looking up at her. "that wouldn't be too much for them?"

"Touch is one of the best things you can give a baby. You will need to handle them gently of course, but physical interactions is vital to their recovery. Not only does it facilitate bonding, but study after study has shown that premature babies that are held and touched on a regular basis recover more quickly."

"If they know someone loves them, they will want to fight," Ashley replied.

"Exactly. Not only can you touch the babies, but you can be as involved with their care as you would like. Parents or caregivers of preemies are encouraged to help with diaper changes, baths, feedings, whatever your comfort level is. We are here to help you and will answer any questions you may have."

"As you know, Lila very much wanted to breastfeed the boys. Is it possible you could have her milk pumped? Could I pump some for her?"

"With everything that is happening to your sister, I would advise against trying to extract milk from her. Her body doesn't need the added stress and the medications in her system could harm her babies. As for you nursing, you milk hasn't come in yet, and it won't fully until a few days before the birth of your own child. Even if your milk supply was available, I wouldn't advise pumping because that would trigger contractions. Your only twenty-three weeks along, so you need to keep that baby inside of you for as long as possible. The hospital does have donated breast milk if you are interested. It is perfectly healthy for mothers to share milk and we test the women carefully before their donation is accepted."

"That would be wonderful," Ashley agreed. She knew how vitally important breast milk was for a baby's developement and the boys needed all the help they could get.

Since the boys were both on ventilators, they couldn't be held, but Ashley was able to touch them. The feeling of their warm, delicate bodies beneath her hand was something she had never before experienced. She already loved them, but establishing physical contact with the boys deepened their bond. Feelings the rising and falling of their chests and tininess of their fingers and toes helped her see past the monitors, wires, and everything else attached to them. She helped her mother care for her brothers when they were born, but this experience was completely different to her.

For one thing, Lila's babies were much smaller than Antonio or Hayden had ever been and they were much more fragile. They were so small and helpless, so completely dependent on Ashley. She lowered her face so she could give them each a kiss. The boys' heads were so small that Ashley's lips seemed to eclipse their entire heads. As she gently stroked their tiny faces, Dr. MG looked on.

"Did Lila and Spencer ever decide on names?"

Ashley grimaced at the sound of her douchebag brother-in-law's name and Dr. MG felt badly for causing the discomfort. The doctor knew what was happening between the newlyweds since Ashley had called her when she needed Lila commited.

"No, they didn't," Ashley said. "Lila and I were considering her options, but nothing ever stuck. I have to come up with something though, because they cannot go through life as Baby A and Baby B. I know I'm not their mother, but considering the circumstances would it be possible for me to fill out their birth certificates?"

"Yes Ashley, that will be fine," Dr. MG assured her. Shortly before Lila's health crisis she named Ashley her power of attorney and guardian of her babies should something happen to her. She rested a hand on Ashley's shoulder and used the other to gently touch each twin.

"Lila and the babies are lucky to have you, Ashley," she said.

"I'm the lucky one," Ashley replied, her gaze fixated on the babies.

"I need to check on Lila," Dr. MG said to Ashley. She looked at the twins and rested a hand on each of their bodies. "be good for Aunt Ashley, little angels."

Dr. MG turned and left the room, leaving Ashley alone with the babies. "You'll always be my little angels," she murmured to the twins. She continued staring at them, rubbing their little feet as she found herself lost in thought. There was very little she could control about this situation, but she could at least give her nephews proper names. Naming them would humanize them and make people realize they were human beings deserving of life.

Ashley turned her attention to Baby A, the donor twin, the brave little boy struggling so hard to survive. Although fragile and tiny against the medical equipment, he held his own. He had a fighter's spirit and Ashley knew from looking at him he wasn't going to give up. He reminded her of Dr. MG in that sense: no matter how grim the situation appeared with Lila and the babies, as well as Ashley and her own baby, Dr. MG remained a calming, stoic presence. Although she never sugarcoated the seriously of the situation, she gave them reason to hope.

Quick as she was to give them the unvarnished truth, she was just as quick to offer solutions, patiently explaining their options and their liklihood of success. Dire as the situation was, Ashley believed it would be a lot worse if they didn't have Dr. MG's calm, professional, steadfast presence in their lives. Ashley gently touched the little boy's head and whispered the name, tentative at first, as if gaging his reaction to it.

"Matthew," she whispered in his tiny ear. To her surprise, the baby seemed to move his head in her direction, as if responding to the name. "Matthew," she said again, a little louder this time and again, he seemed to respond.

Not only was Matthew part of the good doctor's surname, it was the name of an important Biblical figure. Saint Matthew was one of Jesus's twelve apostles. According to the New Testament, he was one of the witnesses of the resurrection and the ascension. He preached the Gospel for fifteen years to the Jewish community in Judea, as well as the Gentile nations. He also spread the word to the Ethiopians, Macedonians, Persians, and Parthians before dying as a martyr. Just as Saint Matthew died for his convictions, baby Matthew risked his life to nurish and protect his younger brother. Matthew was a Hebrew name meaning "Gift of God," and to Ashley he certainly was. As Ashley looked at baby Matthew, another name came to mind.

Saint Alexander of Jerusalem is a martyr and saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He died in 251 AD, during the persecution of Emperor Decius. He was the first Bishop of Cappadocia, as well as coadjuster with the Bishop of Jerusalem. He had been imprisoned for his faith and after his release, came to Jerusalem and stayed to assist the government. In addition, he was praised for the library he build in Jerusalem, ordained Alban Butler a priest, and permitted layman Origen to speak in the church.

When he was taken into captivity, he was tortured, but survived each affliction. Despite his death, he was steadfast in his beliefs, never waivering. Alexander was a Greek name meaning "defender of man," which also fit with Ashley's oldest nephew. After saying the name aloud, Baby A officially became Matthew Alexander Reid.

Ashley then turned her attention to Baby B, the recipient. Like Matthew, he was strong, fighting against the odds. With soft blonde hair and blue eyes like his mother, he looked to Ashley like a sweet, beautiful angel. His sweetness and strength were soothing to Ashley and when he moved, he seemed to be telling her he would be alright. During Lila's pregnancy, he was the most active, kicking the most when Ashley and Lila would rest their hands against his part of the womb. Despite the grim circumstances, he seemed even then to try to reassure his mother and aunt. A soft smile spread across her face as his name was revealed.

Saint Gabriel was a messanger of God, telling the Virgin Mary that the Lord had chosen her as the mother of his child. Although Mary accepted her role as Blessed Mother, she was still afraid of what was to come. Saint Gabriel assured her of the Lord's protection and also told her husband the truth about the child. Saint Gabriel also told Mary of her cousin Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist. In addition, he first appeared in the Book of Daniel, delivering explanations of Daniel's visions. Saint Gabriel is an archangel, which is an angel of high rank.

In keeping with the angel theme, Michael immediately came to mind. Like Gabriel, Michael was an archangel, described as a "prince of the rank." In the Old Testament, Michael was described by another angel as the protector of Israel. The Book of Revelations described a war in Heaven in which Michael, the leader of God's Army, and his angels fought against Lucifer and his army of fallen angels.

Michael, the strongest of the archangels, defeated Satan and drove him and the fallen angels out of Heaven. Michael was one of Ashley's favorite Biblical figures. She admired his strength, courage, and dedication to the Lord. Among other things, Saint Michael was the patron saint of sickness, so it was to him Ashley offered her prayers. She hoped Saint Michael would bestow his strength onto her nephews and heal them.

"Gabriel Michael," Ashley murmured to the baby. At the sound of his name, the little one moved his legs, as if offering his approval. With the deal sealed, Ashley looked up, searching for their nurses.

"Excuse me," she said, when one came near. "I just wanted to inform you that a decision has finally been made regarding their names."

"That's wonderful, Ashley," the nurse said, giving her a smile. "what have you decided?"

"Katie, I am proud to introduce Matthew Alexander and Gabriel Michael."


End file.
